Growth of carbon nanotube forests on carbon fibers with an amorphous silicon interface

Aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube forests were grown by chemical vapour deposition on carbon fibers by the use of an amorphous Si interface. The Si layer creates a barrier, hindering the Fe catalyst diffusion into the carbon fibers. This method provides a way to tailor the thermal, electrical and mechanical properties of the fiber-resin interface of a polymer composite.     

Soil degradation in the tropical forests of the Dominican Republic's Pedernales province in relation to heavy metal contents

Two of the National Parks of the only Biosphere Reserve in the Caribbean Islands, the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo reserve, occur mostly within the Pedernales province (Dominican Republic). In these National Parks, Jaragua and Bahoruco, almost every tropical forest ecosystem is represented, as are the land uses most common to the Dominican Republic. Despite soil being a key natural resource that needs to be considered in any sustainable development programme, the literature contains very little information on the soils of this region. In this study, we analysed 41 topsoil samples representing the main forest types and land uses of the province. The factors examined were fertility (OM, N, P, K) and heavy metal contents (Cu, Cr, Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn). Mean OM, N and total and available metal levels were almost invariably higher in the natural forest soils compared to those given over to human activities, especially cultivated soils. This difference suggests the uptake of metals by the crops and, to a lesser extent, by animals feeding on crop remains and grassland plants. This hypothesis is supported by high total and available metal contents, especially of Zn, Cu, Pb and, in smaller measure, of Cr recorded in the solid waste landfill of the city of Pedernales. It appears that the cutting down and burning practices of a nomad type of cultivation, as well as the pressures of intensive agriculture and livestock rearing have resulted in heavy metals bound to the soil's OM. We propose this is an important point to consider for the management of these lands.     

High-Impact PLA in Compatibilized PLA/PCL Blends: Optimization of Blend Composition and Type and Content of Compatibilizer

In this work, the effectiveness of seven commercial compatibilizers is tested in polylactide (PLA)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) blends with different compositions to obtain a high-impact PLA. None of the compatibilizers is effective for 90/10 and 80/20 PLA/PCL compositions, as no improvement of the impact strength is observed. For the 70/30 composition, compatibilizers having glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and acrylate groups in their structure are proved the most effective, as the morphological change towards co-continuity induced by them leads to significant impact strength improvements (of ≈345% and 90% with respect to the neat PLA and the noncompatibilized PLA/PCL 70/30 blend, respectively). The 70/30 PLA/PCL composition, as it shows the best balance of properties, and the best compatibilizer (ElvaloyPTW) are chosen to carry out the optimization of the compatibilizer content. It is found that adding 6 phr to the blend results in highly toughened and ductile blends while maintaining a high modulus and yield strength values. Larger compatibilizer contents lead to even higher impact strength values, but the low-strain mechanical properties are notably reduced. Thus, in this work, a simple and easily scalable method to produce high-impact PLA is shown, as it implies the compounding of three commercially available components without involving any toxic solvents.     

Characteristic study,its identification and self-tuned approach to control hydro-power plants

The water time constant and mechanical time constant greatly influences the power and speed oscillations of hydro-turbine-generator unit. This paper discusses the turbine power transients in response to different nature and changes in the gate position. The work presented here analyses the characteristics of hydraulic system with an emphasis on changes in the above time constants. The simulation study is based on mathematical first-, second-, third- and fourth-order transfer function models. The study is further extended to identify discrete time-domain models and their characteristic representation without noise and with noise content of 10 & 20 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The use of self-tuned control approach in minimising the speed deviation under plant parameter changes and disturbances is also discussed.     

Fixation of Chromium in Wood from Dichromate and Chromate Salt Solutions

It has been reported that treatment of wood surfaces with aqueous solutions of chromium trioxide imparts some beneficial properties like weather resistance and some degree of water repellency. The work presented here aims at finding alternative ways of fixing chromium in wood with the avoidance of the very acidic and strong oxidant conditions of chromic acid solutions. This is because these solutions may affect the strength of wood, and are known to have a very high human toxicity. In this study, chromium has been fixed into wood from hexavalent chromium solutions at pH's of ～1.5 (CrO₃ aq.), ～3.8–3.9 (K₂Cr₂O₇ aq.) and ～9.5–10.3 (K₂CrO₄ aq.). For the CrO₃-solutions the effects of temperature and reaction time on the fixation of chromium were investigated. For the dichromate and chromate solutions, fixation experiments were carried out with Cr-concentration and reaction times as variables. It is shown that a 3%-fixation level of chromium in small wood specimens can be attained from dichromate and chromate solutions without significant mechanical damage to wood. On the other hand, even diluted CrO₃-solutions (0.01 M) impart serious strength reductions in wood at temperatures of 90° C and higher when reacted for 8 hours, and the chromium content of wood resulting from such treatment is of the order of only 1%.     

Preparation and electrical characterization of poly(vinyl amine) hydrogels,crosslinked with Cu(II) ions,and evaluation of their potentiality as water sensor material

A method to prepare water sensitive composites employing crosslinked poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) and Cu(II) ions as reticulation agent is disclosed in this work. This article presents in detail, the reticulation reaction and its pH dependence, as well as its electrical, rheological, and thermal properties of the PVAm‐Cu(II) composites obtained. The complex bonds formed between the Cu(II) ions and the amine groups of PVAm produce an interesting network of crosslinked structures that generate a microporous morphology when the material is extruded. This characteristic favors fast absorption of water when it is wetted, and a concomitant decrease in its apparent resistivity in a very short period of time. Furthermore, they present an excellent thermal stability and suitable processability. These characteristics make them interesting candidates to design ultra fast water sensors. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Surface modification of styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers by polyacrylamide grafting via gamma irradiation

Polyacrylamide chains were grafted onto styrene-divinylbenzene (S-DVB) copolymer beads using gamma radiation from a ⁶⁰Co source by applying the simultaneous method. S-DVB macroporous copolymer was synthesized by aqueous suspension polymerization and characterized by determining apparent density, surface area, pore volume distribution and water uptake. Optical and electron microscopies were used in order to observe the copolymer morphology. The effect of parameters such as monomers concentration, irradiation dose and presence of inhibitor (Mohr’s salt) on grafting reaction was studied. The grafting reaction was evaluated with the aid of elemental analysis, FTIR, HR-MAS NMR spectrometry, thermogravimetry (TG) and electron microscopy. Grafting yield (evaluated by nitrogen content) increased with acrylamide concentration and irradiation dose increasing. However, above determined values of those parameters it is observed a tendency of decreasing on the grafting yield. The presence of Mohr’s salt inhibited the production of homopolymer as well as the progress of the grafting reaction.     

Proton-induced γ-ray analysis of lithium in thick samples

A method for proton-induced γ-ray analysis (PIGE) of Li (either elemental or isotopic composition) in thick samples is presented in this work, which is based on a code that integrates the nuclear reaction excitation function, measured at the same experimental conditions, along the depth of the sample. The energy steps needed to define accurately the excitation function are used as energy intervals for the integration procedure. The excitation function and cross-sections of the reaction ⁷Li(p,p^′γ)⁷Li, for protons in the energy range 0.60–2.5 MeV, were obtained and used as input to calculate lithium concentrations in thick and intermediate samples. The calculated thick target yields of samples with several amounts of lithium were compared with the respective measured yields, showing that this is a reliable and accurate method for PIGE analysis of Li in thick samples.     

Electromigration in Sintered Nanoscale Silver Films at Elevated Temperature

Sintered nanoscale silver is a promising interconnection material for semiconductor devices because it provides improved joint properties compared with solder and wire bonds. It has higher electrical and thermal conductivity and is capable of higher operating temperature. Joints with die shear strength above 20 MPa can be formed at around 250°C even without applied pressure. Sintered silver joints were also found to be an order of magnitude more reliable than solder joints and wire bonds. In this work, the electromigration behavior of sintered nanosilver material under conditions of high applied current density and elevated temperature was investigated. Thin strips of sintered nanosilver formed on ceramic substrates were tested under current densities exceeding 150 kA/cm² at temperatures of 150°C and above. Results based on the percentage change in sample resistance showed that the sintered silver lasted at least ten times longer than aluminum wire bonds. Examination of failed strips revealed that hairline cracks formed during sintering were the main cause of failure. Otherwise, defect-free samples exhibited a 10-fold increase in lifetime over wire bonds under similar conditions.