High-Temperature Behavior of a High-Velocity Oxy-Fuel Sprayed Cr3C2-NiCr Coating

High-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) sprayed coatings have the potential to enhance the high-temperature oxidation, corrosion, and erosion-corrosion resistance of boiler steels. In the current work, 75?pct chromium carbide-25?pct (nickel-20?pct chromium) [Cr₃C₂-NiCr] coating was deposited on ASTM SA213-T22 boiler steel using the HVOF thermal spray process. High-temperature oxidation, hot corrosion, and erosion-corrosion behavior of the coated and bare steel was evaluated in the air, molten salt [Na₂SO₄-82?pct Fe₂(SO₄)₃], and actual boiler environments under cyclic conditions. Weight-change measurements were taken at the end of each cycle. Efforts were made to formulate the kinetics of the oxidation, corrosion, and erosion-corrosion. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM)/energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) techniques were used to analyze the oxidation products. The coating was found to be intact and spallation free in all the environments of the study in general, whereas the bare steel suffered extensive spallation and a relatively higher rate of degradation. The coating was found to be useful to enhance the high-temperature resistance of the steel in all the three environments in this study.     

Performance of a solar still: Predicted effect of enhanced evaporation area on yield and evaporation temperature

A solar still with enlarged evaporation area was simulated on the computer in order to explore the quantitative relationship between evaporation area and the distillation yield. The results showed a gain of 19.6% in the yield when the evaporation area was quadrupled, and an asymptotic (infinite area) gain of around 30.2%. A thermodynamic analysis of the two separate energy conversion processes occurring within the still led to “availability” based definitions of efficiencies for the collector and the evaporator-condenser. This analysis showed that all of the asymptotic improvement in yield is attributable to the more efficient evaporation-condensation process in the still with enlarged evaporation area. The analysis also suggested that stills with enlarged evaporation area could be operated on cheap low temperature thermal energy such as from solar ponds. Finally, the exergy based efficiency defined for the evaporator-condenser was shown to be useful in describing the performance of multiple-effect solar stills as well.     

Concurrent and predictive validity of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth version across gender and ethnicity.

The concurrent and predictive validity of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) were examined across gender and ethnicity using multiple outcome measures on a community-based sample of 130 adjudicated youths. The PCL:YV demonstrated concurrent validity with externalizing behavior problems but, it is important to note, was also associated with internalizing measures of negative affect. With a mean follow-up period of 3 years, the PCL:YV was found to predict general and violent recidivism in male, Native Canadian, and Caucasian youths. However, the PCL:YV demonstrated weaker concurrent and predictive validity with girls and failed to predict nonviolent recidivism in all subgroups. Implications of the findings for clinical practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

High-Temperature Corrosion Studies of HVOF-Sprayed Cr3C2-NiCr Coating on SAE-347H Boiler Steel

Cr₃C₂-NiCr coating was deposited on SAE-347H boiler steel by high velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) spray process. Subsequently, high-temperature corrosion behavior of the bare and coated boiler steel was investigated at 700 °C for 50 cycles in Na₂SO₄-82Fe₂(SO₄)₃ molten salt, as well as air environments. Weight-change measurements after each cycle were made to establish the kinetics of corrosion. X-ray diffraction, field emission-scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray mapping analyses were performed on the exposed samples to analyze the oxidation products. The bare 347H steel suffered accelerated oxidation during exposure at 700 °C in the air as well as the molten salt environment in comparison with its respective coated counterparts. The HVOF-spray Cr₃C₂-NiCr coating was found to be successful in maintaining its adherence in both the environments. The surface oxide scales were also found to be intact. The formation of chromium rich oxide scale might have contributed for the better hot corrosion/oxidation resistance in the coated steel.     

In vitro digestibility,pasting, and structural properties of starches from different cereals

Starches isolated from seven different cereals were evaluated for their composition, physicochemical, in vitro digestibility, structural, morphological, and pasting properties. The in vitro starch digestion rate and estimated glycemic index (GI) of cereal starches were evaluated along with the impact of cooking on starch digestion. The cooking of starch slurries increased the rapidly digestible starch content from a range of 34.7–54.4% to a range of 60.5–78.5%. On the basis of hydrolysis index, the GI ranged from 83.6 to 91.8 and after cooking it increased from 95.1 to 98.6 for different cereal starches. Both the swelling power and solubility showed an increasing trend with rising temperature. Paste clarity of starches negatively correlated with fat content. The amylose content of various starches ranged from 17.7 to 24.7% and was negatively correlated to crystalline index (r = -0.975, p ≤ 0.05). XRD pattern revealed A-type pattern of crystalline starch, where crystallinity index ranging between 28.2 to 44.9%. FTIR revealed slight differences among chemical bonding of starches from different cereals. From scanning electron micrograph observations, wheat and barley starch granules proved smoother as compared to other cereal granules. Barley contained the highest (27.5 µm) and rice had the lowest (10.2 µm) size starch granules. The pasting properties were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) different for different cereal starches. Peak, breakdown, and final viscosities were the highest for maize starch (1725, 384, and 2112 mPa.s, respectively), whereas rice and oats exhibited the highest trough and setback viscosities (1420 and 954 mPa.s, respectively).     

Near perfect thin film flexible broadband optical absorber with high thermal/electrical conductivity

Flexible ultra-black absorber with high thermal/electrical conductivity finds huge applications in the field of stray light attenuation, solar collectors, flexible electronics, and electronic thermal management systems. In this work, we report the fabrication of ultrablack absorber consists of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNT) in Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) having an absorption capacity of more than 98% in UV–Vis wavelength and more than 94% in NIR wavelength range. It is observed that the PDMS-VACNT composite shows ultra-high absorption capacity due to enhanced impedance matching and multiple scattering. In addition to this, the PDMS-VACNT composite shows an emissivity of 0.94 along with a 118% increase in thermal conductivity. Moreover, with the infiltration of VACNT in PDMS, the sheet resistance decrease drastically to 0.08 KΩ/sq, which signify the possible use of ultrablack absorber in electronic skin and flexible sensors etc. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 137, 48855.     

Slurry Erosion Behaviour of Detonation Gun Spray Al2O3 and Al2O3–13TiO2-Coated CF8M Steel Under Hydro Accelerated Conditions

Slurry erosion performance of detonation gun (D-gun) spray ceramic coatings (Al₂O₃ and Al₂O₃–13TiO₂) on CF8M steel has been investigated. Slurry collected from an actual hydro power plant was used as the abrasive media in a high speed erosion test rig. Attempt has been made to study the effect of concentration (ppm), average particle size and rotational speed on the slurry erosion behaviour of these ceramic-coated steels under different experimental conditions. The analysis of eroded samples was done using SEM, XRD and stylus profilometry. The slurry erosion performance of the D-gun spray Al₂O₃–13TiO₂-coated steel has been found to be superior to that of Al₂O₃-coated steel. Both the coatings showed brittle fracture mechanism of material removal during the slurry erosion exposure.     

Liver Bile Acid Changes in Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive impairment. It is hypothesized to develop due to the dysfunction of two major proteins, amyloid-β (Aβ) and microtubule-associated protein, tau. Evidence supports the involvement of cholesterol changes in both the generation and deposition of Aβ. This study was performed to better understand the role of liver cholesterol and bile acid metabolism in the pathophysiology of AD. We used male and female wild-type control (C57BL/6J) mice to compare to two well-characterized amyloidosis models of AD, APP/PS1, and App^NL-G-F. Both conjugated and unconjugated primary and secondary bile acids were quantified using UPLC-MS/MS from livers of control and AD mice. We also measured cholesterol and its metabolites and identified changes in levels of proteins associated with bile acid synthesis and signaling. We observed sex differences in liver cholesterol levels accompanied by differences in levels of synthesis intermediates and conjugated and unconjugated liver primary bile acids in both APP/PS1 and App^NL-G-F mice when compared to controls. Our data revealed fundamental deficiencies in cholesterol metabolism and bile acid synthesis in the livers of two different AD mouse lines. These findings strengthen the involvement of liver metabolism in the pathophysiology of AD.     

Comparative High-Temperature Corrosion Behavior of Ni-20Cr Coatings on T22 Boiler Steel Produced by HVOF, D-Gun, and Cold Spraying

To protect materials from surface degradations such as wear, corrosion, and thermal flux, a wide variety of materials can be deposited on the materials by several spraying processes. This paper examines and compares the microstructure and high-temperature corrosion of Ni-20Cr coatings deposited on T22 boiler steel by high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF), detonation gun spray, and cold spraying techniques. The coatings’ microstructural features were characterized by means of XRD and FE-SEM/EDS analyses. Based upon the results of mass gain, XRD, and FE-SEM/EDS analyses it may be concluded that the Ni-20Cr coating sprayed by all the three techniques was effective in reducing the corrosion rate of the steel. Among the three coatings, D-gun spray coating proved to be better than HVOF-spray and cold-spray coatings.