Preparation and characterization of PVA/OMMT composites

In this study, polyvinyl alcohol/organically modified montmorillonite (HDA/MMT; organoclay) composite was prepared for the intercalation processes. Firstly, the rheological behavior of aqueous montmorillonite dispersions was investigated as a function of solid content. Hexadecylamine (HDA) was added to the montmorillonite dispersion (2%, w/w) in different concentrations in the range of 5 × 10^?4 – 9 × 10^?3 mmol/L. The basal spacing of the organoclay (OMMT) was studied by X‐ray diffraction. The FTIR spectra are obtained from the modified montmorillonite products, which revealed the characteristic absorbencies after treatment with HDA. HDA/MMT/PVA composite, which was produced by the reaction of 1 wt % PVA solution with organoclay complex, is characterized by the rheology, electrokinetic, XRD, FTIR, and SEM techniques. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102:2315–2323, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of HDA/NaMMT organoclay

In this study, the rheologic and colloidal characterizations of sodium montmorillonite (NaMMT) were examined. Hexadecylamine (CH₃(CH₂)₁₅NH₂, HDA) was added to the bentonite water dispersion (2%, w/w) in different concentrations in the range 5.6 × 10⁻⁴−9.4 × 10⁻³ mmol/l. The rheological and electrokinetic behaviour of aqueous montmorillonite dispersions was investigated as a function of solid content and HDA concentration. The basal spacings of the HDA/NaMMT composites were studied by X-ray diffraction. The FTIR spectra were obtained from the modified bentonite products, which revealed the characteristic absorbances after treatment with HDA.     

Fabrication of κ-carrageenan and whey protein isolate-based films reinforced with nanocellulose: optimization via RSM

The aim of this study was to prepare nanocomposite films composed of whey protein isolate (W) and carrageenan (C) with nanocellulose (N) for food packaging applications. Response surface methodology was applied to investigate the effect of W concentration (v/v, 0–100%), glycerol/sorbitol (G/S) ratio (0–1), and N concentration (w/w, 0–5%) on the physicomechanical properties of film samples. Higher W and N contents and lower G/S ratios showed positive effect on rigidity of film samples, while introducing high concentration of N increased the water vapor permeability values with increasing plasticizer and C concentration. The highest water uptake values were observed in C based films, while a higher C content resulted in lower opacity values. The addition of nanocellulose into whey protein and carrageenan blend films in the presence of a plasticizer mixture improved the suitability of selected biopolymers for food packaging applications when compared to their neat films. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48902.     

A comprehensive review on pretreatment of microalgae for biogas production

Use of microalgal biomass for renewable energy production has gained considerable attention in the world due to increasing global energy demand and negative environmental impacts of nonrenewable fossil fuels. Anaerobic digestion is one of the renewable technologies that microalgal biomass is converted into biogas by anaerobic archea. One of the main drawbacks of using microalgal biomass for biogas production is that certain types of microalgae has rigid cell wall characteristics, which limits accessibility of anaerobic archea to microalgal intracellular organic matter during hydrolysis phase. This limitation lowers efficiency of biogas production from microalgal biomass. However, introducing pretreatment methods prior to anaerobic digestion provides disruption of rigid microalgal cell wall and improve biogas yields from microalgal biomass. The objective of this paper was to review current knowledge related to pretreatment methods applied prior to anaerobic digestion of microalgal biomass. Efficiency and applicability of pretreatment methods mainly depend on type of microalgae, cell wall characteristics, and cost and energy requirements during pretreatment process. In this review, various type of pretreatment methods applied to microalgal biomass was discussed in detail with background knowledge and literature studies in their potential on maximization of biogas yields and their cost effectiveness, which is important for large‐scale applications. In the view of current knowledge, it was concluded that each pretreatment method has a relative contribution to improvement in biogas production depending on the type of microalgae. However, energy and cost requirements are the main limitations for pretreatment. So, further studies should focus on reduction of cost and energy demand by introducing combined methods, novel chemicals, and on‐site or immobilized enzymes in pretreatment to increase feasibility of pretreatment prior to anaerobic digestion in industrial scale.     

Structural Appraisal of the Florentine Gothic Construction System

The nave of Santa Maria Novella, a Dominican church in Florence Italy is representative of a Florentine Gothic system of construction. This system, consisting of domical rib vaults on square nave bays, high side aisles, and crypto-buttressing, differs substantially from the French high Gothic system of even-level-crown rib vaults on rectangular bays, with flying buttresses over relatively low aisles. An investigation into the structural aspects of the Florentine Gothic construction system reveals that the domical vaults increase the longitudinal thrust and reduce the transverse thrust, which may require additional precautions to be taken during construction, but entails a less elaborate buttressing system. The domical vaults are found to perform well structurally, with an absence of tensile stresses, and are more suitable for a square bay. In general, the structural system of the nave of Santa Maria Novella is found to be the product of carefully considered structural design, which may be accepted as an alternative to the French Gothic construction system.     

Nonlocal elasticity effect on vibration of in-plane loaded double-walled carbon nano-tubes

Summary Vibration and buckling of in-plane loaded simply supported double-walled carbon nanotubes were investigated using the nonlocal Timoshenko-beam theory. The influence of in-plane loads on the natural frequencies was determined. The results show that while the natural frequencies decrease with increasing compressive in-plane loads, an increase in frequencies is observed for tension type of in-plane loads. Effects of in-plane loads are more pronounced for lower modes, and some mode changes are observed at critical in-plane loads. A comparison of nonlocal elasticity solutions with local elasticity solutions indicates that the nonlocal effects should be considered for higher modes of vibration of double-walled carbon nanotubes.     

Modeling of hysteresis and power losses in transformer laminations

In this paper, a method for the representation of hysteresis and power losses in the laminations of power transformers is proposed. The developed model is based on data supplied from steel manufacturer and able to predict hysteresis and eddy current losses.