碎裂的城市塞维利亚 对1992年世博后的思考

位于欧洲南部中等规模的城市塞维利亚曾分别在1929年与1992年举办过两次重要的国际性博览会,博览会不仅塑造了当下的城市形状,且通过加强通信设施与基础建设转变了城市与整个区域的关系。作为城市发展的捷径,这些大事件能加快发展并有机会通过连贯统一的提案重塑城市,避免长期通用的总体规划带来一系列问题。塞维利亚面对一条需要恢复水体环境的河流,并将成为新的城市节点。然而经过20年,世博会场址仍然与城市其他部分相隔离。该区域城市功能的设置缺失居住和商业,使其置于深度破碎的境地;被包裹的簇团必然将城市区域撕裂开来。这里是碎裂的城市。     

Creep study on alumina and alumina/SWCNT nanocomposites

Alumina and alumina/SWCNT nanocomposites have been sintered by spark plasma sintering, obtaining relative densities higher than 99%. Microstuctural characterization revealed a grain microstructure in the submicron range, where alumina/SWCNT nanocomposites exhibited a good CNTs dispersion thought the ceramic matrix. Creep experiments performed in both materials showed a similar mechanical behavior, where the addition of CNTs seems to have a negligible effect on the strain rate, in contrast to results reported by other authors. Grain boundary sliding accommodated by lattice diffusion has been identified as the high temperature deformation mechanisms in both samples, alumina and alumina/SWCNT nanocomposites. We have discussed about the role of CNTs influence on the plasticity of these composites.     

The regeneration of field-spent granular-activated carbons.

The thermal regeneration of field-spent granular-activated carbons (GAC) is being increasingly adopted as a cost-effective alternative to disposal. The success of this practice requires the adjustment of process conditions to maximise the recovery of the original carbon characteristics while minimising carbon loss. This paper describes an investigation into the regeneration of several field-spent GAC representative of those typically generated by the drinking water treatment industry. The carbons were initially investigated for their ash contents and inorganic compositions in order to determine the accumulation of metallic species that affect the regeneration process. Regeneration was conducted in steam at 800 degrees C over reaction times between 0 and 60 min in order to achieve different degrees of carbon gasification. Weight losses were determined for each condition and the resulting carbons characterised for their apparent density, porosity, surface area and aqueous adsorption characteristics. Results showed that spent carbons recovered most of their adsorption characteristics when heated to 800 degrees C under inert conditions. Steam gasification in the range of 5-10 wt% burn-off had some positive effects on the characteristics of the spent carbons which were in most cases counteracted by a reduction in the carbon yield. Steam gasification in excess of 15 wt% burn-off caused a rapid increase in the carbon mesoporosity but a significant deterioration in the carbon microporosity, BET surface area and adsorption capacity for organic species of small molecular size.     

Shallow levels in the band gap of CdTe films deposited on metallic substrates

CdTe thin films were developed on flexible metallic substrates using close spaced sublimation and electrodeposition techniques. The films were nearly stiochiometric, highly uniform and exhibit good crystallinity. The films were characterized using XRD, SEM and AUGER. The shallow levels in the band gap of CdTe were determined using photoluminescence and photoinduced current transient spectroscopy. The photoluminescence studies revealed a defect dominated CdTe surface. The two lines detected at 1.587 and 1.589 eV at 15 K are assigned to the donor levels associated with Cl at the Te sites. The additional features observed in the photoluminescence spectra of the CdCl₂ treated films revealed that the CdCl₂ treatment improves the quality of the films and the close space sublimated films are better than the electrodeposited films. The photoinduced current transient spectroscopic technique was effectively used to identify the electron and hole traps. Two shallow levels with activation energy 0.056 and 0.13 eV were detected and assigned to electron and hole traps, respectively.     

A geometric model for an effective rescheduling after reducing service in public transportation systems

Railway systems in metropolitan areas carry a high density of traffic daily, heterogeneously distributed, and exposed to the negative consequences derived from service disruptions. An interesting topic in the literature is to obtain performance protocols in the presence of contingencies which can affect the system operation, avoiding the propagation of perturbation and minimizing its consequences. The objective of this paper is to assess the decision of rescheduling the train service, reducing the current supply along one transportation line in order to reinforce the service of another line, exploited by the same public operator, which has suffered an incidence or emergency. A methodology, based on a geometric representation of solutions which allows the use of discrete optimization techniques, is developed in order to attend to the underlying demand with efficiency criteria in this context of unexpected incidents.     

A new approach to evaluate bending forces for deep-drawing operations of a TRIP700 +EBT steel sheet

In this work, a new approach was developed to determine the bending, unbending and friction forces involved in deep-drawing processes of metallic sheets based on a sheet drawing-bending test. The procedure used both the experimental and deduced behavior of sheets in bending and unbending processes under tension. To obtain experimental data, a new apparatus was built to measure the reactions forces in the bending tool. These tests were applied to a TRIP700 +EBT steel sheet in diverse pure shear deformation states, with two different lubricants. The effect of the back tension and the state of the material were also studied by bending and unbending processes using tensile tests under diverse pure-shear conditions. Deduced forces, like bending and unbending forces, were determined by introducing these experimental data into an expressly created numerical method. The obtained results allowed us to state that the TRIP700 +EBT steels sheet displayed evolutional mechanical behavior since the induced martensite phase transformation effect depended on the deformation mode and intensity, had good formability and a low friction coefficient with steel tools, which was almost constant and independent of the pressure in the bending tool.     

Biohybrid Microtube Swimmers Driven by Single Captured Bacteria

Bacteria biohybrids employ the motility and power of swimming bacteria to carry and maneuver microscale particles. They have the potential to perform microdrug and cargo delivery in vivo, but have been limited by poor design, reduced swimming capabilities, and impeded functionality. To address these challenge, motile Escherichia coli are captured inside electropolymerized microtubes, exhibiting the first report of a bacteria microswimmer that does not utilize a spherical particle chassis. Single bacterium becomes partially trapped within the tube and becomes a bioengine to push the microtube though biological media. Microtubes are modified with “smart” material properties for motion control, including a bacteria‐attractant polydopamine inner layer, addition of magnetic components for external guidance, and a biochemical kill trigger to cease bacterium swimming on demand. Swimming dynamics of the bacteria biohybrid are quantified by comparing “length of protrusion” of bacteria from the microtubes with respect to changes in angular autocorrelation and swimmer mean squared displacement. The multifunctional microtubular swimmers present a new generation of biocompatible micromotors toward future microbiorobots and minimally invasive medical applications.