A model for predicting heat transfer through noninsulated unloaded steel-stud gypsum board wall assemblies exposed to fire

With the advent of performance-based codes and performance-based fire safety design options, validated fire-resistance models have become essential. In this paper, a one-dimensional heat transfer model for steel-stud, noninsulated, unloaded gypsum board protected wall assemblies is presented. Also presented are a comparison between temperature predictions and measured temperatures at different locations in gypsum board wall assemblies as well as a comparison between the predicted and measured fire-resistance ratings. The model, which predicts slightly conservative fire-resistance ratings compared to the experimental measurements, is appropriate for most fire safety engineering applications. Considerations for further model development are identified.     

Coal-ash deposit corrosion of some steels and nimonic alloys

The corrosion behaviour of some commercial austenitic steels and nimonic aalloys has been studied at 650, 800, 900 and 1000°C in air and in the presence of ash residues obtained from coals of Indian origin. The ash is non-aggressive at temperature s where formation of corrosion-producing alkali iron trisulphates is normally expected; on the contrary, the silicates present in the ash provide protection against corrosron. A.t higher temperatures the ash is corrosive due to onset of sulphidation and molten alhali sulphate attack. In general, the corrosion rates of high-ash coated alloys are much higher than those coated with low ash. The higher corrosion rates in the former have been attributed to a higher level of free silica in the ash which undergoes slag-type reactions. Both types of ash exhibit two different and distinct scale morphologies.     

IR Thermographic Analysis of 3D Printed CFRP Reference Samples with Back-Drilled and Embedded Defects

Carbon-fiber composite structures may demonstrate a defective behavior due to manufacturing induced anomalies (delamination, dis-bonds) or service related defectives (impact damage, water ingress). Thus, there is a need for a relatively fast and low cost non-intrusive testing schemes such as infrared thermography (IRT). Still, thermography testing requires calibrated samples and coupons to yield best results. The presented research demonstrates the novel use of 3D printing technology to generate IRT calibration samples. In this text, two carbon fiber reinforced polymer samples are 3D printed; the first mimics a “back-drilled holes” type coupons, while the other is designed to embed air pockets similar to Teflon inserts. The generated samples are then tested using two IRT modalities; namely pulse thermography and lock-in thermography. Furthermore, the resulted thermograms are processed using a principle component analysis, to help highlight the variance of defectives in a consistent manner among the samples. This research findings offer insights on the variation of detectability between embedded and back-printed samples, which might be due to the inserts thickness.     

Binary phase solid‐state photopolymerization behavior of acrylate cryogels under different light sources

Two types of cryogels were obtained using 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) by homogeneous mixing with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) as crosslinker at subzero temperature followed by photopolymerization with two different light initiation sources (high‐pressure Hg arc lamp and UV‐LED).The solution was frozen unidirectionally at ?60 °C before polymerization and finally photopolymerized at the same temperature. The cryogels were characterized using photo‐DSC, UV–vis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The cryogels cured with an LED light showed a higher polymerization rate and better morphological characteristics than ones cured with a high‐pressure Hg arc. The water intake ratio of HEA/PEGDA was higher than HEMA/PEGDA for both curing sources. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46686.     

Recent Developments in Plate Exchangers—Ammonia/Carbon Dioxide Cascade Condensers

The use of carbon dioxide and ammonia in low temperature cascade systems is gaining momentum in the industrial refrigeration market. The use of a plate exchanger as cascade condenser is a viable option due to the high thermal efficiency and smaller footprint characteristics of such exchangers. There is a lack of reliable data in the open literature on condensation of carbon dioxide and evaporation of ammonia in such heat exchangers. This article presents the latest research on condensation of carbon dioxide and evaporation of ammonia in various corrugated plate exchangers at different saturation temperature and heat/mass flux. The data are reduced to generalized empirical correlations to be used as design tools by engineers. It also discusses the mechanical aspects of plate exchanges and their suitability in cascade systems.     

Modeling and Experimental Evaluation of Single Particle Growth in Syndiotactic Polymerization of Styrene

A comprehensive mathematical model and experimental study of single particle growth for styrene polymerization over a silica-supported metallocene catalyst were investigated. The model was developed based on the modification of the well-known multigrain model (MGM) by introducing mesoparticle scale limitations. Thereafter, the model was employed to predict the effects of bulk phase temperature and catalyst properties (initial catalyst active site concentration and initial catalyst particle size) on the polymerization rate, degree of polymerization (DP), and the polydispersity index (PDI) of syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS). The simulation results showed a significant radial distribution of styrene concentration across polymer particle growth at different polymerization conditions. It was found that increasing the initial catalyst concentration and bulk phase temperature resulted in polymerization rate enhancement. In context, the polymerization rate decreased as the initial catalyst particle size increased from 20 to 50 μm. The results revealed that a uniform increase in DP of the polymer was obtained by increasing the initial catalyst concentration and the reaction temperature, while resulting in a decrease of the PDI value. Meanwhile, the DP and PDI values varied inversely under the influence of initial catalyst particle size within a period of time similar to the one needed in the catalyst decay. The simulated results in the study agree well with experimental data of SPS.     

A versatile hydrogel template for metal nano particle preparation and their use in catalysis

We report the synthesis of a novel bulk hydrogel based on acrylamidoglycolic acid (AAGA) and its use as a template in the preparation of different metal nanoparticles. Furthermore, we demonstrate the efficient utilization of p(AAGA) composite hydrogel as a reactor vessel in the reduction of an organic contaminant, 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP). The swelling characteristics of the hydrogel at different pH and different concentrations of salts (NaNO_3, NaCI) were studied, and experimental molecular mass between crosslink (M_c) values was calculated. Experimental parameters that affect the 4-NP reduction rate such as temperature, amount of catalysis, co-catalysis, concentrations of 4-NP and of NaBH₄ were investigated. The kinetics of the reduction reaction under different reaction conditions was also evaluated to determine the activation parameters. Activation energy for the reduction of 4-NP was 33.783 kJ mol⁻¹ and p(AAGA)-Ag composites possessed 88% activity at the end of five repetitive uses.     

The effects of maleic anhydride terpolymer and its ester derivatives on tensile bond strength between the acrylic resin and resilient lining material

The present study investigated the effects on the bonding between the denture base acrylic resin and the soft silicon based lining material of maleic anhydride‐styrene‐vinyl acetate (MA‐St‐VA) terpolymer and some of its ester derivatives. These ester derivatives were n‐propylmaleate‐styrene‐vinyl acetate (n‐PrMA‐St‐VA), n‐buthylmaleate‐styrene‐vinyl acetate (n‐BuMA‐St‐VA) and n‐benzylmaleate‐styrene‐vinyl acetate (n‐BzMA‐St‐VA). Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy method was used to determine interactions between terpolymers with the acrylic resin and soft lining material. The tensile bond strength of all the groups was compared and the obtained differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The highest value was found for the samples lined with n‐BuMA‐St‐VA (2.11 ± 0.21 MPa) and the samples lined with n‐BzMA‐St‐VA had the lowest bond strength (0.3 ± 0.12 MPa). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 1338–1341, 2007