A short communication on growing Jatropha in Oman

A stripping technique has been used to cencentrate selected hydrocarbons present in water samples at the parts per billion level for analysis by gas chromatography. The chromatograms of hydrocarbons thus stripped from several different water samples show similarities. Washing out of atmospheric pollutants by rainfall is postulated as an explanation of these results. This hypothesis is supported by a comparison of the data with those for trace atmospheric analysis. The comparison shows that the same compounds are present in similar relative amounts both in water samples and the atmosphere. After a period of rain the atmospheric concentrations decrease whilst the water bound concentrations increase.     

Batch adsorption of organic pollutants from oxidation pond effluents using fly ashes

The batch shaking adsorption study was conducted to determine the potential of fly and volcanic ashes in removing organic pollutants from oxidation pond effluents. Factors affecting organic pollutant removals, such as concentrations and sizes of fly and volcanic ashes, initial pond effluent organic concentrations, washed and unwashed conditions of fly and volcanic ashes, were investigated. The TOC (total organic carbon) removal efficiency varied from 30 to 58 percent. The organic removal efficiency increased with increasing ash concentrations, with decreasing initial pond effluent organic concentrations and with decreasing sizes of ashes.     

Territorial development in the Cape Verde archipelago under the Estado Novo dictatorship (1953–1974)

Despite Portugal's neutrality in the Second World War (1939–1945), the subsequent new world order meant that the Portuguese Government felt obliged to revise its overseas policies. A new regional awareness could be seen in the Six-Year National Development Plans launched by Estado Novo from 1953 until the revolution of 1974. The territory and its strategic potential were emphasized in the context of national policies of overseas urbanization. Interventions in Cape Verde are visible particularly in the First Development Plan, which was based on equipping the province's public facilities. The methodology of intervention involved setting up missions aimed at planning a set of specific public works which were essential to the development of existing settlements. A sharp increase in the development of the territory through the work of specialized brigades took place in the Third Development Plan, when a set of public works on road, hydraulic and electricity networks was undertaken. The planning of infrastructures that was undertaken in these years was essential to the development of the archipelago and the resulting regional and urban land-use planning of the various islands.     

Granite plates as structural slabs in Brazilian buildings: application of reliability concepts

Polished finishing granites are greatly accepted for claddings because of the plates’ shape, design and color variety. The features depend on the geological conditions that occur during the formation process, which include the mineralogy of the stone, the fluids formed during the process, the grain size of the minerals and the way in which the minerals interact with each other. One of the noblest uses of stone plates is in non-adherent covering systems (without mortar), such as ventilated façades and pedestrian paving systems. Currently, the methodology for non-adherent systems uses the allowable stress design criteria. In recent years, the number of papers indicating reliability analysis as an important design tool for natural stones has increased. However, a lack of information concerning the design methodology still happens. Therefore, the structural properties assessed as complementing these studies were: compressive strength, three-point flexural tensile strength, Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio. A granite slab design example was also presented. First, the thickness of the plates was determined based on the formulation proposed by Timoshenko [Strength of materials (original language, Portuguese), Volume II. Editora Ao Livro Técnico S. A., Rio de Janeiro, 1977], using the allowable stress design criteria. Next, the reliability analysis was performed by Monte Carlo simulation. Results showed that the Desireé White granitic plate presented a higher reliability index than the Capão Bonito Red granitic plate. This result seems to be paradoxical, owing that the Capão Bonito Red presented a higher value of mean flexural strength than the Desireé White. The minimal safety factors to satisfy the target reliability value of 3.8 as recommended by the standard EN 1990:2002 (Eurocode) were found to be 2.61, 1.98 and 2.72, respectively, for the three stone types.     

TiB2 Powders Synthesis by Borothermal Reduction in TiO2 Under Vacuum

TiB₂ powders were synthesized by borothermal reduction in nanoscale TiO₂ with boron under vacuum. Reaction processes were investigated, and the effect of by‐product B₂O₃ was evaluated. Results showed that TiO₂ was firstly reduced by boron to form TiBO₃ and Ti₂O₃, and then to produce TiB₂ and B₂O₃ with increasing temperature. The reaction processes of TiB₂ powders synthesis included two‐step reduction in TiO₂ by boron and the removal of B₂O₃. The presence of B₂O₃, which was previously reported as the most important factor in promoting the coarsening of ZrB₂ and HfB₂ powders by borothermal reduction, did not lead to significant coarsening of TiB₂ powders. Due to the minor effect of B₂O₃, TiB₂ powders with small particle size and low oxygen content could be prepared by direct heat treatment of TiO₂ and boron at 1550°C under vacuum for 1 h. The particle size and oxygen content of synthesized TiB₂ powders were ~0.9 μm and ~1.7 wt%, respectively.     

Sintering Behavior and Dielectric Properties of Ultra‐Low Temperature Fired Silver Molybdate Ceramics

Ag₂MoO₄ ceramic was prepared by using the solid‐state reaction method, which could be sintered at 450°C for 2 h, having a relative permittivity of 8.08, a Qf value of 17 000 GHz, and a temperature coefficient of resonance frequency about ?133 ppm/°C. Ag₂MoO₄ ceramic was chemically compatible with silver but reacted seriously with aluminum to form (Ag_0.5Al_0.5)MoO₄ during the sintering. The fitting of infrared spectra and the Shannon's additive rule were employed to study intrinsic dielectric behaviors of the ceramics at microwave region. Ionic displacive polarization and the electronic polarization contributed almost equally to the dielectric permittivity of the ceramic at microwave region. The Ag₂MoO₄ ceramics could be a good candidate for ultra‐low temperature co‐fired microwave devices.     

Rheology of natural fibers thermoplastic compounds: Flow length and fiber distribution

The presented study investigates the flow length and the corresponding fiber content distribution in the injection‐moulded natural fiber reinforced thermoplastics and its relation to fiber type and processing parameters such as injection pressure, temperature, injection rate and mould tempering by increasing die temperature. In this research, polypropylene compounds with nominally 30 wt % hemp and sisal fibers are investigated. The influence of the injection pressure (500 and 1000 bar), melt temperature (180°C, 200°C, and 220°C), and die temperature (23°C and 80°C) on the fiber content distribution all over the sample is investigated. An increasing linear trend of fiber content along the spiral length is observed as an evidence of a fiber/polymer multiflow system. A pattern for fiber content distribution with respect to the fiber length along the injected spiral can be distinguished, where the longer fibers are usually found at the end of the injected part and the shorter fibers remain near mould entrance point. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39861.     

Zein‐based ultrathin fibers containing ceramic nanofillers obtained by electrospinning. II. Mechanical properties,gas barrier,and sustained release capacity of biocide thymol in multilayer polylactide films

The combination of electrospinning technology and nanomaterials such as nanoclays can synergistically lead to novel materials with enhanced properties and functionalities for their usage in passive and active packaging applications. Part I of this work was focused on the development of ultrathin zein fibers containing nanoclays, which were oriented along the fiber axis and increased the thermal properties. Part II presents the use of the hybrid fibers as passive and active components in multilayer packaging structures. The hybrid fibers are incorporated in poly(lactic acid) films via a two‐step process: Electrospinning and compression molding. The composites thus produced presented improved mechanical and barrier properties than the unfilled material. The natural biocide extract thymol is then incorporated in the coating, and its sustained release properties are shown. The antimicrobial capacity of the hybrid fibers was also determined against foodborne bacteria. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40768.