The influence of MWCNT and hybrid (MWCNT/nanoclay) fillers on performance of EPDM-CIIR blends in nuclear applications: Mechanical,hydrocarbon transport,and gamma-radiation aging characteristics

Blends of EPDM and chlorobutyl (CIIR) rubbers are used in nuclear plants where they have to withstand the combined effect of radiation and hydrocarbon aging. To improve their mechanical properties as well as hydrocarbon and gamma radiation resistance, the blends are reinforced with 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 phr of MWCNT. The increase in mechanical properties was highest for 1.5 phr MWCNT with 69% increase in tensile strength. The improvement in properties was correlated to MWCNT dispersion and filler–polymer interactions, which were confirmed by TEM and FTIR analysis. Hydrocarbon transport coefficients decreased on addition of MWCNT. The nanocomposites were exposed to 0.5, 1, and 2 MGy cumulative doses of gamma radiation. Depending on the radiation dose, crosslinking and/or chain scission occurred causes changes in physical properties. MWCNT reinforcement reduced the magnitude of changes in mechanical and transport properties after γ-irradiation. ESR and FTIR spectra provided qualitative information on free radical formation and chemical changes due to γ-rays exposure. To further enhance the properties, hybrid nanocomposites with 1.5 phr MWCNT and varying nanoclay contents (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 5 phr) were prepared. Due to synergism between MWCNT and nanoclay, the hybrid composites had superior properties with hybrid containing 5 phr nanoclay giving 98% increase in tensile strength.     

Effect of 100 KeV Ar+ ion beam irradiation on ZnO thin films – Influence of morphology vis-a-vis electrode/electrolyte interface and its impact on photoelectrochemical water splitting

The present study attempts quantitative determination of changes in the morphological surface features viz. fractal dimension, lower and upper cut off length scale through Power Spectral Density analysis prior to and after irradiation of 100 KeV Ar⁺ ion beam at incidence angles of 0°, 40° and 60° on ZnO thin films. All the unirradiated and irradiated samples are subjected to photoelectrochemical characterization and a correlation between photoelectrochemical performance and morphological parameters is established. Sample irradiated at 40° angle at the fluence of 5 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm² is found to possess maximum fractal dimension of 2.72, lower and upper cut off length scale of 3.16 nm and 63.00 nm respectively. This sample exhibits maximum photocurrent density of 3.19 mA/cm² and applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 1.12% at 1.23 V/RHE. Hydrogen gas collected for duration of 1 h for the same sample was ~4.83 mLcm^?2.     

Situating natural language understanding within experience-based design

Building useful systems with an ability to understand "real" natural language input has long been an elusive goal for Artificial Intelligence. Well-known problems such as ambiguity, indirectness, and incompleteness of natural language inputs have thwarted efforts to build natural language interfaces to intelligent systems. In this article, we report on our work on a model of understanding natural language design specifications of physical devices such as simple electrical circuits. Our system, called KA, solves the classical problems of ambiguity, incompleteness and indirectness by exploiting the knowledge and problem-solving processes in the situation of designing simple physical devices. In addition, KA acquires its knowledge structures (apart from a basic ontology of devices) from the results of its problem-solving processes. Thus, KA can be bootstrapped to understand design specifications and user feedback about new devices using the knowledge structures it acquired from similar devices designed previously.In this paper, we report on three investigations in the KA project. Our first investigation demonstrates that KA can resolve ambiguities in design specifications as well as infer unarticulated requirements using the ontology, the knowledge structures, and the problem-solving processes provided by its design situation. The second investigation shows that KA's problem-solving capabilities help ascertain the relevance of indirect design specifications, and identify unspecified relations between detailed requirements. The third investigation demonstrates the extensibility of KA's theory of natural language understanding by showing that KA can interpret user feedback as well as design requirements. Our results demonstrate that situating language understanding in problem solving, such as device design in KA, provides effective solutions to unresolved problems in natural language processing.     

Imperfections and impurity phases in flux grown RCrO3 (R = La,Yb) single crystals

Results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analytical (EDAX) investigations, conducted on some elevated structures displayed by flux grown rare earth orthochromite, RCrO₃ (R = La, Yb) crystals, are presented. The peculiar structures exhibited by crystal surfaces indicate imperfections and impurity phases. EDAX of elevated structures reveals the various phases to be composed of lead associated materials which may probably be either Pb₂CrO₅ or Pb₂OF₂ (flux). Other secondary crystallization of impurity phases, ROF (R = La, Yb) is illustrated in the case of RCrO₃ (R = La, Yb) crystals. The elevated structures illustrate their non-stoichiometric behaviour. Precipitation of impurity phases and formation of imperfections during the growth of RCrO₃ (R = La, Yb) crystals and their effect on the crystalline quality is discussed.     

A prospective study of closure techniques of abdominal incisions in infants and children

In a prospective study of layered versus mass closure of abdominal incisions in infants and children, 34 cases underwent wound closure by layered and mass closure technique on an alternate basis. All the patients were assessed for their nutritional status and haemoglobin level pre-operatively, and wound complications were compared with respect to closure technique, nutritional status and normal haemoglobin level. Presence of protein energy malnutrition and anaemia did not increase the risk of wound complications with either of the technique.     

Electrochemical Aspects of Electroosmotic Dewatering of Clay Suspensions

An attempt is made to elucidate the electrochemical aspects of the electroosmotic dewatering (EOD) of clays as reported in some recent work, especially that on interrupted DC power electroosmotic dewatering published by Rabie, Mujumdar and Weber (2). These authors showed that the dewatering by EOD stops after the DC power has been on for several minutes or hours; on interruption of their power and on short-circuiting of the electrodes, conditions can be created again for some further dewatering by DC power EOD. This discovery, of Rabie et al. is interpreted as a fuel cell effect and it is shown that it affords clues to several other electrochemical strategies for the possible enhancement of the efficiency of the EOD by DC power.

Further, the open circuit potentials observed by Rabie et al. (2) on the interruption of DC power are given an electrochemical interpretation which leads to quantitative estimates in agreement with the experimental values.     

Termination of pregnancy at 9-13 weeks' amenorrhoea with mifepristone and misoprostol

The effectiveness of a combined regimen of mifepristone and vaginal misoprostol for termination of pregnancies of 9-13 weeks of gestation was investigated in 120 UK abortion patients (median age, 22.1 years; median duration of amenorrhea, 10.3 weeks). Each woman received a single oral dose of 200 mg of mifepristone 36-48 hours before admission, at which time 800 mcg of misoprostol was administered vaginally. Where indicated, a further two doses of 400 mcg of misoprostol (vaginal or oral) were provided every 3 hours. All 120 women aborted on the day of prostaglandin administration; however, 6 women (5%) required exploratory curettage after the procedure for retained placenta. The median prostaglandin dose was 1200 mcg (range, 800-1600 mcg). The median time from misoprostol administration to abortion was 4.33 hours (range, 1.3-16.0 hours). 60 women (50%) required oral analgesics and 26 (22%) received parenteral analgesia. Diarrhea occurred in 38 women (32%). The median duration of bleeding after abortion was 12.5 days (range, 3-43 days). In questionnaires administered to 73 women, only 3 (4%) expressed dissatisfaction with medical abortion, because of pain or prolonged bleeding. The relatively high dose of misoprostol used in this study and the vaginal route of administration are presumed to account for the 95% success rate. Extension of medical abortion to later gestation times would decrease the need for surgery and expand women's choice of methods of pregnancy termination.     

Corrosion characteristics of aluminium alloy graphite particulate composite in various environments

The present study was aimed at understanding the response of 2014 Al alloy dispersed with graphite particles in various corrosive environments. Marine (sodium chloride) as well as acidic media were selected for the purpose with a view to widen the range of utility of the composite for applications where such environments may be encountered. Studies were also extended to characterize the corrosion resistance of the composite in fresh as well as used lubricating oils to explore the possibilities of using it in bearing, bushing and such other applications. The corrosion behaviour of the base alloy processed under identical conditions was also examined in the above media to see the influence of graphite addition in the alloy. In order to assess the role of the matrix microstructure, the composite as well as the base alloy was subjected to corrosion in heat-treated as well as-cast conditions. It was observed that the specimens suffered from the maximum rate of corrosion in acid, while sodium chloride produced the minimum corrosion rate. Oil in both used and fresh conditions revealed a negligibly small extent of corrosion. The composite was found to show a higher rate of corrosion than the base alloy under identical test conditions. This was attributed to the dispersoid/matrix interfacial corrosion in the case of the graphitic aluminium alloy. Heat treatment of the composite and the base alloy was found to lower the rate of corrosion in the environments tested. Microstructural modifications of the matrix and possible relief of residual stresses were thought to be responsible for the lower rate of corrosion in the heat-treated condition.