Influence of bearing ball recirculation on error motions of linear axes

For positioning systems utilizing linear guides and trucks with recirculating balls, a method is presented that uses the measured total error motions and the measured phase of ball loops within trucks to determine the influence of each ball loop on the error motions. The influence of ball recirculation on the error motions is estimated a priori via a least-squares solution based on data collected from a multitude of motion tests in which varying phases were measured by sensors integrated into the trucks. This method enables real-time estimation of performance degradations and identification of their sources.     

Vitamin A status of healthy children in Manisa,Turkey

Background  

Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health nutrition problem in the developing world. Even subclinical Vitamin A deficiency is associated with increased childhood mortality. Severe maternal vitamin A deficiency may cause increased mortality in the first months of life. There have been a limited number of studies regarding vitamin A status in Turkey. The aim of this study was to assess vitamin A status of healthy children in Manisa, Turkey.     

An investigation on renewable energy education at the university level in Turkey

In the present study, to discover how teaching of renewable energy sources in Turkey is carried out at the university level, a questionnaire was developed and applied at different universities in Turkey. The analyses conducted on the data obtained from the questionnaire revealed that education about geothermal, solar and wind energy is given at master’s level, other renewable energy sources are taught at the undergraduate level within the curriculum of some engineering courses. The teaching performed about renewable energy sources is in Turkish and at encyclopedic level. As preparing and obtaining the required materials are costly, some problems are encountered in the teaching of renewable sources. In Turkish universities, no degree about renewable energy sources is granted. Hence, the country must make use of the people having engineering degree to capitalize on its renewable energy sources. As there is no program specializing on providing training about the renewable energy sources, it seems to be difficult to find experts about this issue. The current state of renewable energy sources education seems to be inadequate and it should be expanded and strengthened.     

Synthesis and characterization of nylon 6/polyalkylaniline conducting composites

Conducting composite films of polyalkylanilines with nylon 6 as the insulating matrix were electrochemically synthesized and characterized. The electrochemical properties of the alkylanilines and their composites were investigated with a cyclic voltammetry technique. The magnetic properties of the polymers and composites were analyzed, and their conducting mechanisms were found to be of bipolaron nature. With Fourier transform infrared spectra, it was clarified that polymerization occurred via the ? NH₂ group in a head‐to‐tail mechanism. Through thermogravimetric analyses, the thermal properties of the polymers and their composites were elucidated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1693–1701, 2003     

Unveiling the presence of mixed oxidation states of Europium in Li7+δEuxLa3−δZr2−δO12−δ garnet and its impact on the Li-ion conductivity

Recently, lanthanides have been employed by researchers to examine their impact on the structure and properties of Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) garnets. In this regard, we developed Europium oxide (Eu₂O₃) doped LLZO (Li_7+δEu_xLa_3−δZr_2−δO_12−δ) solid electrolyte which demonstrates a cubic phase with the symmetry of Iad (No.230) at room temperature. In this investigation, different concentrations of Eu ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 atoms per formula unit (pfu) were doped into Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ to evaluate the impact of Eu on the stability of the cubic phase and thereby the ionic conductivity. The results unveiled that upon doping Eu³⁺ ions, the Eu²⁺ state is also formed and is then self-doped into the structure in which Rietveld refinement coupled with XPS, EPR, and solid-state NMR suggests that Eu³⁺ ions most probably partially occupy Zr⁴⁺ (16a) site, the Eu²⁺ ions occupy La³⁺ (24d) site, and the Li⁺ ions occupy two different sites (24d and 96h). It was further found that such a site preference induces distortion at LaO₈ polyhedrons opening up the neck for Li-ions diffusion, thereby enhancing the ionic conductivity. Moreover, it was revealed that Li-ions probably hop from 96h to 24d and then to 96h site to generate the Li-ion movement. Overall, by introducing Eu ions into the LLZO structure, an enhanced bulk ionic conductivity of 0.30 × 10⁻³ S/cm at 298 K with a minimum electronic conductivity of 2.547 × 10⁻⁹ S/cm at 298 K was achieved.     

Characterization of nanocomposite resol resins: Individual/synergist effects of alendronic acid and sepiolite

Alendronic acid modified resol nanocomposite resins (AA‐PFNCRs) and sepiolite modified resol nanocomposite resins (SEP‐PFNCRs) have been synthesized by in situ method in the presence of base catalyst. Additionally, the synergistic effects of alendronic acid and sepiolite clay (AA‐SEP‐PFNCR) on the resol resin have been studied. The structure, morphology, and thermal properties of these nanocomposites have been investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and X‐ray Diffraction (XRD). The results demonstrated the interactions between the fillers and resol resin. Thermal properties of nanocomposite resins were improved due to alendronic acid and sepiolite. The obtained samples were also characterized morphologically by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43807.     

Reliability analysis of the complex mode indicator function and Hilbert Transform techniques for operational modal analysis

This study presents application of the CMIF and the Hilbert Transform techniques onto simulated response data obtained using a numerical model of a typical school building from Turkey. White noise is added to the data in order to achieve a noise to signal ratio of 5%. 100 Monte Carlo analysis sequences are carried out and the modal parameters (the frequencies, the mode shapes and the damping ratios) are identified at each Monte Carlo run for both techniques. The results are compared with the identifications obtained from the simulated data using stochastic subspace based system identification technique. The overall results of the study show that the mode shapes are clearly identified the best by using the CMIF technique. The damping ratios are estimated better by using the stochastic subspace based system identification technique whereas the frequencies are best determined by the CMIF. The results also show that both the CMIF and the Hilbert Transform techniques are sensitive to the type of window used as well as the averaging and the decimation process. It is apparent that the CMIF technique is as robust as the frequently used stochastic subspace based system identification technique and can be confidently used for modal parameter estimation of stiff low to mid rise reinforced concrete structures.     

Quasistatic TEM characteristics of overlayed supported asymmetric coplanar waveguides

CAD-oriented analytic formulas are presented for calculating the quasistatic TEM parameters of the overlayed supported asymmetric coplanar waveguides (OSACPW). The effect of the thicknesses and the dielectric constants of the overlaying and supporting materials on the quasistatic parameters has been investigated by using the expressions derived by the conformal mapping techniques. Comparisons have also been made between this article's results and the results available in the literature for the conventional coplanar waveguide (CPW) and the asymmetric coplanar waveguide (ACPW). It has been shown that the present formulas can also be used for calculating the quasistatic TEM parameters of the line structures such as the open, the open supported, and the overlayed supported CPW or ACPW. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Influence of humic substances on the ultraviolet disinfection of surface waters

The efficiency of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection and the regrowth potential of total coliforms were investigated in humic waters. Experiments were conducted according to an experimental design in which a UV radiation dose range of 68–681 mW s/cm² was applied to waters containing various concentrations (0–10 mg/L) of fulvic acid. Experimental results strongly suggested that the harmful effect of UV radiation on bacteria was diminished in humic waters due to absorption of UV light. Increasing concentrations of fulvic acid appeared to enhance its influence with elevated doses of UV radiation. Measured inactivation responses were on the order of 1–6 log₁₀ units for the UV dose range used. Comparison of k (inactivation coefficient) values for nonhumic water to highly humic water indicated that k decreased proportionally as the fulvic acid concentration of water was increased. The results of dark‐incubation tests indicated significant regrowth of bacteria in fulvic acid‐containing waters.     

Elastic-plastic thermal stress analysis of an aluminum composite disc under parabolic thermal load distribution

An elastic-plastic thermal stress analysis was carried out on an orthotropic aluminum metal matrix composite disc with a hole by using an analytical solution. The thermal load distribution was chosen to vary parabolically from inner surface to outer surface. An aluminum composite disc reinforced curvilinearly by steel fibers was produced under hydraulic press. The mechanical properties of the composite disc were obtained from experiments by using strain gauges. A computer program was developed to calculate the thermal stresses under a parabolic temperature from inner surface to outer surface. The material was assumed to be non-linear hardening. The elastic-plastic solution was performed for the plastic region expanded around the inner surface by an analytical method. The magnitude of the tangential stress component for elastic and elastic-plastic was higher than the magnitude of the radial stress component. Besides, the tangential stress component was compressive on the inner surface and tensile on the outer surface. The magnitude of the tangential residual stress component was the highest on the inner surface of the composite disc. The plastic region began at the inner surface of disc. This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Joo Ho Choi Gürkan Altan is a Research Assistant of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey. Gürkan Altan received the B.E. degree (1999) in mechanical engineering from Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, and the M.S. degree (2004) in mechanical engineering from Pamukkale University, Denizli. Gürkan Altan is interested in production and applications of composite materials. Currently he is involved in the development and application of joints of composite structures.