Flexible poly(styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene) hybrid nanofibers for bioengineering and water filtration applications

Among the thermoplastic elastomers that play important roles in the polymer industry due to their superior properties, styrene-based species and polyurethane block copolymers are of great interest. Poly(styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene) (SEBS) as a triblock copolymer seems to have the potential to meet many demands in different applications due to various industrial requirements where durability, biocompatibility, breaking elongation, and interfacial adhesion are important. In this study, the SEBS triblock copolymer was functionalized with natural (Satureja hortensis, SH) and synthetic (nanopowder, TiO₂) agents to obtain composite nanofibers by electrospinning and electrospraying methods for use in biomedical and water filtration applications. The results were compared with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite nanofibers, which are commonly used in these fields. Here, functionalized SEBS nanofibers exhibited antibacterial effect while at the same time improving cell viability. In addition, because of successful water filtration by using the SEBS composite nanofibers, the material may have a good potential to be used comparably to TPU for the application.     

Surface-modified alumina nanoparticles-filled aramid fiber-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites: preparation and mechanical properties

Iranian Polymer Journal - Surface of Al2O3 nanoparticles was modified with a silane coupling agent, and aramid fiber-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites were produced using these particles. Three...     

Hydrolysis of titanium alkoxide and effects of hydrolytic polycondensation parameters

Titanium alkoxides hydrolyse vigorously with water producing polycondensates whose equivalent oxide content varies from 70% to over 90%. This variation reflects the average molecular size and the nature of the terminal bonds. Hydrolysis conditions also affect the molecular and particle morphologies modifying the crystallization and sintering behaviour of oxide materials derived from polycondensates. It is also possible to form clear polymer solutions under excess water hydrolysis with the addition of certain acids. Investigations show that there is a window in the acid concentration which provides long-term solution stability. The gels formed from these clear solutions shrink in their liquor under certain conditions and the introduction of hydrogen peroxide into the liquor (surrounding the gel) causes vigorous gel shrinkage.     

Features of a Scan and Clock Resource chip for providing access to board-level test functions

The architecture and some of the specific features of a Scan and Clock Resource (SCR) chip are described. This chip is currently being used in a high-end workstation product to provide access to the testability features of the individual chips and/or printed circuit boards. Using a board-level controller to gain access to the testability features of system components and interfacing the controller to a diagnostics processor (or external tester) is emerging as a common strategy for designing testable digital systems. Based upon experience gained from such an application, controller features that are deemed useful are discussed.This paper is an enhanced version of the author's earlier paper titled Towards a Standard Approach for Controlling Board-Level Test Functions, presented at the IEEE International Test Conference, ITC'90, Washington D.C., September 1990.     

Variance sensitive adaptive threshold-based PCA method for fault detection with experimental application

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a statistical process monitoring technique that has been widely used in industrial applications. PCA methods for Fault Detection (FD) use data collected from a steady-state process to monitor T² and Q statistics with a fixed threshold. For the systems where transient values of the processes must be taken into account, the usage of a fixed threshold in PCA method causes false alarms and missing data that significantly compromise the reliability of the monitoring systems. In the present article, a new PCA method based on variance sensitive adaptive threshold (T_vsa) is proposed to overcome false alarms which occur in the transient states according to changing process conditions and the missing data problem. The proposed method is implemented and validated experimentally on an electromechanical system. The method is compared with the conventional monitoring methods. Experimental tests and tabulated results confirm the fact that the proposed method is applicable and effective for both the steady-state and transient operations and gives early warning to operators.     

Chemical and microbiological status and volatile profiles of mouldy Civil cheese,a Turkish mould‐ripened variety

The objective of this study is to characterise the gross chemical and microbiological status and identify the volatile compounds of mouldy Civil cheeses. A total of forty‐one samples were surveyed, and gross compositional status of the cheeses was (as mean values): 6.5 for pH, 6.2% for fat‐in‐dry matter, 51.8% for moisture and 15.3% for water‐soluble nitrogen (as% of total nitrogen). Chemical composition of the cheese samples varied widely. Mouldy Civil cheese has similar pH values and moisture contents when compared with blue‐type cheeses, but it has distinct feature for fat contents. The microbiological counts of the samples were found to be high and some samples contained coliform bacteria. A total of 95 volatiles, including esters (28), acids (6), ketones (12), aldehydes (3), alcohols (15), terpenes (10), sulphur compounds (3) and miscellaneous (18), were identified in the volatile fractions of the cheeses, and principal volatile groups were esters, alcohols and ketones.     

Participatory system dynamics modelling for housing,energy and wellbeing interactions

The built environment is a key target of decarbonization policies. However, such policies often have a narrow objective and narrow focus, resulting in ‘policy-resistance’ and unintended consequences. The literature attributes these unintended consequences to a narrow financial focus, adverse incentives, and inadequate handling of knowledge, skills, communication and feedback gaps, but it provides little advice on how these complex interactions can be captured. This paper illustrates the development and application of an integrated approach to address these complex interactions with regard to housing performance, energy, communal spaces and wellbeing. In particular, it explores the dynamics created by these relationships with simulation modelling in participatory settings, and with a diverse group of stakeholders. The simulation results suggest that monitoring is key to improve the performance of the housing stock besides energy efficiency; and investments in communal spaces positively affect the adoption of energy-efficiency measures and the wellbeing of residents. The evaluation results for participatory workshops show this approach was found useful by the stakeholders for supporting more integrated decision-making about housing. In future research, this approach can be implemented for policy problems in specific contexts.