The adsorption behavior of cesium on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide/itaconic acid) copolymeric hydrogels

In this study, N-isopropylacrylamide/itaconic acid (NIPAAm/IA) hydrogels prepared by irradiating with γ radiation were used in experiments on cesium ion adsorption. The cesium ion adsorption capacity of the hydrogels was investigated as a function of Cs⁺ concentration, pH and temperature. The adsorption behavior of cesium was evaluated by using the radiotracer method. The adsorption isotherm models were applied to the experimental data, and it was seen that Freundlich isotherm explained the adsorption better than Langmuir isotherm. Two simplified kinetic models including pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equation were selected to follow the adsorption processes. The Cs⁺ adsorption could be best described by the pseudo-first-order equation. The thermodynamic parameters including ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° for adsorption processes of Cs⁺ on the hydrogel were also calculated, and the negative ΔH° and ΔG° confirmed that the adsorption process was exothermic and spontaneous.     

Viscoelastic and Processing Effects on the Fiber-Matrix Interphase Strength. Part I. The Effects of Loading Rate,Test Temperature,Fiber Sizing and Global Strain Level

The effects of loading rate, fiber sizing, test temperature and global strain level on the adhesion strength between carbon fibers and a thermosetting epoxy (Epon 815) are studied using the single fiber fragmentation test procedure. Analytical methodology describing the viscoelastic behavior observed is also presented. The possibility of rate-temperature-interphase thickness superposition for the interfacial strength function is illustrated based on the analytical models discussed. Experimental data are discussed using Weibull statistics and also presented in the form of percent relative frequency histograms for the fiber fragments in a collective fashion. The use of histograms allows for interpretation of the skewness in the data population.     

Viscoelastic and Processing Effects on the Fiber-Matrix Interphase Strength. Part III. The Effects of Postcure

A novel method for tailoring the interphase of carbon fiber-polymer composites by resistive electric heating is presented. The single-fiber fragmentation test is used to investigate the adhesion and fracture properties of the interphase. Electric resistive heating is shown to increase adhesion and toughness at the interphase region. In analyzing the results, the strength and fracture energy of the interphase are related to the thermal postcure conditions created by resistive electric heating. For this purpose, a difference analysis method is used to obtain a numerical solution for the heat conduction problem in the single-fiber test specimen and the temperature distributions are determined. Improvements obtained by using resistive electric heating of the carbon fiber are compared with those obtained by postcuring of the whole sample via convective thermal postcuring. The results obtained using these two different postcure methods seem to be similar.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF OXIDIZED BEYPAZARI LIGNITE USING DECONVOLUTED SOLID STATE 13C NMR SPECTRA

ABSTRACT

The solid state ¹³C NMR method have been used to investigate the structural changes occurred in Beypazari lignite while oxidizing at 150°C in a dynamic air atmosphere. Least squares curve fitting techniques have been used to resolve the overlapping bands in the 0-220 ppm region of the 13_c NMR spectra. Measurements of the relative intensities of the functional groups observed in the oxidized coals were used to follow the progress of air oxidation. Oxidation reactions seemed to decrease the total intensities of both aliphatics and aromatics, though the reduction in aliphatics was more pronounced. The relative intensities of the total aliphatics decreased from 1.0 to 0.9 and 0.6 in the original and lignites oxidized for 12 and 312 hours, respectively. The relative intensities of Ar-C-C in the 130-148 ppm region for the same set of samples were 1.0, 0.9 and 0.8. The least-squares bands resolved in the carbonyl region were at 175 ppm and 190 ppm in the original lignite; at 180 ppm (carboxylic acids), 195 ppm (meta substituted ketones) 210 ppm (di orto substituted ketones) in the lignite oxidized for 12 hours and at 170 ppm (esters), 180 ppm, 200 ppm (aldehydes) and 210 ppm in the lignite oxidized for 312 hr. Carbonyl intensity increased from 1.0 in the original lignite to 2.3 and 3.3 in the oxidized lignites. The intensity of aromatic ethers increased from 1.0 in the original lignite to 1.9 and 1.6 for the oxidized samples. The mechanism of oxidation ether. Aldehydes are easily oxidized to carboxylic acids in the presence of air by the free radical formation of a peroxy acid. The carboxylic acid formed by disproportionation reactions between the peroxy acid and aldehydes might combine with phenols to produce esters as it was observed in the present work. The presence of high free radical concentration in the oxidation atmosphere probably caused to abstract hydrogen atoms from the aromatic structures thus degrading aromatics to produce hydroperoxides which acted later as it was described above. The gradual degradation of aromatic structures observed in the present study indicated that the oxidation reactions of the aromatic rings should less probable when compared to the oxidation of aliphatic structures.     

Polystyrene Suspension Polymerization: The Effect of Polymerization Parameters on Particle Size and Distribution

Effects of polymerization parameters are studied to better understand interactions between parameters in stirred-tank polymerization reactors and to derive a regression model correlating polymer particle size and particle-size distribution with agitator speed, agitator diameter, tricalcium phosphate, dodecyl benzene sodium sulfonate concentrations, and mass cycle period. The derived equations give way to prediction of the polymerization conditions in order to obtain desired particle size and particle-size distributions which covers particle sizes between 0.3 and 5 mm. The roles of some other parameters and limiting agitation parameters are also investigated.     

A New Bootstrapped Hybrid Artificial Neural Network Approach for Time Series Forecasting

Computational Economics - In this study, a new bootstrapped hybrid artificial neural network is proposed for forecasting. This new neural network provides input significance, linearity and...     

Deep Learning for Financial Engineering

Computational Economics -     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(1,3‐thiazol‐2‐yl‐carbomoyl) methyl methacrylate: Its metal complexes and antimicrobial activity studies

Poly(1,3‐thiazol‐2‐yl‐carbomoyl) methyl methacrylate [poly(TCMMA)] is prepared in dimethyl sulfoxide using 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator at 60°C. Poly(TCMMA) is characterized by IR and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopic techniques. Cadmium(II), copper(II), and nickel(II) chelates of poly(TCMMA) were synthesized. An elemental analysis of the polychelates suggests a metal/ligand ratio of 1:2. The polychelates are further characterized by IR and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The thermal properties of the polymer and metal chelates are also discussed. The molecular weights of the poly(TCMMA) are determined by the gel permeation chromatography technique. The antimicrobial activities of the polymer and metal chelates are tested against Staphylococcus aureus COWAN I (bacteria), Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (bacteria), Listeria monocytogenes SCOTTA (bacteria), Bacillus subtilis LMG (bacteria), Enterobacter aeroginosa CCM 2531 (bacteria), Klebsiela pneumania FMCS (bacteria), Candida albicans CCM 314 (Mayo yeast), and Saccharamyces cerevisiae UGA 102 (Mayo yeast). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 3244–3251, 2003     

The Effects of Cure Temperature and Time on the Stress-Whitening Behavior of Structural Adhesives. Part II. Analysis of Fractographic Data

In this second part of the paper on the effects of cure conditions on the stress-whitening behavior of structural adhesives, fractographic data are presented and discussed. For this purpose, the size and nature of crack-tip-whitening zones obtained using single edge notched tension specimens of the model adhesive Metlbond with and without carrier cloth are studied. Scanning electron photomicrographs are utilized to investigate the effects of cure temperature and time on the crack-tip stress-whitening behavior. A brief discussion on the formation of inherent voids during the cure process is also presented since they are observed to enhance the crack-tip-whitening zones. Experimental results reveal that both the extent of voids produced during the cure process and the size of the crack-tip-whitening zones on the fracture surface increase with increasing cure temperatures. The presence of carrier cloth produces a similar effect with increases in both inherent voiding and stress-whitening sizes. The creation of stress-whitening zones are linked to stable crack propagation in those areas.