Influence of Ti addition on the microstructure and hardness properties of near-eutectic Al–Si alloys

In this study, the influence of Ti addition on the microstructure and hardness of near-eutectic Al–Si has been investigated. Near-eutectic Al–Si alloys (13.1 wt.% Si) with 0.1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10% Ti have been utilized for this purpose. The melting operation was carried out in an electrical furnace, where the charge materials were placed in a graphite crucible. After melting, alloys have been cast in the metal mold at 1100 °C and solidified.     

Production of a dry sausage from African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell, 1822): microbial, chemical and sensory evaluations

Production of a dry sausage from African catfish and determination of its microbial, chemical and sensory properties during a 70‐day storage at both 4 and 22 °C were prompted. pH of the samples at 4 and 22 °C did not significantly change during the storage (P > 0.05). Moisture content of the samples was 74%, and reduced to 45% at 4 °C and to 22% at 22 °C. Protein content of the samples was 20.71%, and increased to 42.5% at 4 °C and to 57.99% at 22 °C. Total lipid content was 4.5%, and increased to 10.98% at 4 °C and to 15.68% at 22 °C (P < 0.05). Microbial analyses showed that there was a significant reduction in total aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophilic bacteria, total mould and yeast, total lactic acid bacteria, total Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus aureus counts at both 4 and 22 °C (P < 0.05). Samples stored at 4 °C had significantly higher sensory ratings than that of the samples stored at 22 °C (P < 0.05).     

Synthesis and characterization of novel polyfuran/poly(2‐iodoaniline) conducting composite

The electrically conducting polyfuran/poly(2‐iodoaniline) (PFu/P2IAn) and P2IAn/PFu composites were prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization using polyfuran and poly(2‐iodoaniline) in HCl and CHCl₃ media. The conductivities of composites were determined as a function of the amount of guest polymer. It was found out that the conductivities of P2IAn/PFu composites increased 100‐fold, whereas the conductivities of PFu/P2IAn composites did not show a specific increase. The composite compositions were altered by varying guest polymer feed ratios during preparation. Generally, the electrical conductivities of P2IAn/PFu composites increased with increasing the amount of PFu. Homopolymers and composites were further characterized thermally, employing thermogravimetry (TGA) and morphologically employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Further evidences concerning the polymer structures were obtained by FTIR and UV‐vis spectroscopies and magnetic susceptibility measurements. TGA results revealed that PFu/P2IAn among the homopolymers (PFu and P2IAn) and P2IAn/PFu composite have the highest thermal stability. The composites synthesized varying the host and the guest polymer order have different conductivities, morphological structures, and thermal properties. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2823–2830, 2003     

Electropreparation and electrochemical stability of polythiophenes in acetonitrile containing anhydrous HBF4

The electrooxidation behavior of thiophene and 3‐methylthiophene on a Pt surface in an acetonitrile + tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate solution were investigated. The electropolymerization of these monomers was studied in neutral, acidic, and basic media. The effects of thiophene concentration and the added acid were elucidated. The polythiophene and poly(3‐methylthiophene) films formed were characterized by their cyclic voltammograms in a blank solution and dry conductivities were measured. Electrochemical properties of these polymers in the same medium were investigated in the absence and in the presence of added anhydrous acid and base. The behavior of the freshly prepared films was compared with that which lost its electroactivity as a result of electrooxidation using cyclic voltammetry, controlled potential coulometry, and FTIR spectroscopy. The mechanisms related to the formation of the polymers and their electroactivity loss were proposed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 312–322, 2000     

Experimental and theoretical studies of thiazoles as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in sulphuric acid solution

The inhibition effects of 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (2A5MT) and 2-mercaptothiazoline (2MT) on mild steel corrosion in 1.0 M H₂SO₄ were studied with potentiodynamic polarization, linear polarization resistance and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. It was shown that both 2A5MT and 2MT act as good corrosion inhibitors for mild steel protection. The high inhibition efficiencies were attributed to the simple blocking effect by adsorption of inhibitor molecules on the steel surface. The effects of the presence of extra NH₂ group and N atom in 2A5MT on the ability to act as corrosion inhibitors were investigated by theoretical calculations.     

Chemical preparation of conducting polyfuran/poly(2‐chloroaniline) composites and their properties: A comparison of their components,polyfuran and poly(2‐chloroaniline)

Conductive homopolymers and composites of poly(2‐chloroaniline) (P2ClAn) and polyfuran (PFu) were synthesized chemically in hydrous and anhydrous media, and their properties were investigated. The polymers and composites were characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, magnetic susceptibility, and conductivity measurements. It was found that the PFu/P2ClAn composite is thermally more stable than both the P2ClAn/PFu composite and the homopolymers. It was determined from Gouy scale measurements that conducting mechanisms of homopolymers and composites are polaron and bipolaron in nature. It was observed that the conductivity and magnetic susceptibility values changed with a changing amount of the guest polymer in the prepared composites. The conductivity (3.21 × 10^?2 S/cm) of the P2ClAn/PFu (55.8% m/m) composite was found to be higher than the conductivities of both homopolymers (σ_PFu = 1.44 × 10^?5 S/cm; σ_P2ClAn = 1.32 × 10^?3 S/cm). It was determined that the composites synthesized had different conductivities and morphological and thermal properties from changing synthesis order. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 2924–2931, 2003     

Investigation of the behavior of hydrogen‐bonded phenolic compounds and their determination by using poly(vinylferrocenium)–polyaniline composite film

The hydrogen bonding between phenolic compounds (phenol (Ph), catechol (Ct), resorcinol (Rs), and hydroquinone (Hq)) is investigated at pH 4. The oxidation behaviors of total phenolic compounds (TotPh) are different from their individual behaviors due to the existence of intermolecular hydrogen‐bonded oligomeric clusters. Theoretical calculations and voltammetric and spectroscopic evidences support the intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The interaction of the phenolic compounds with polyaniline (PANI) and poly(vinylferrocenium) (PVF⁺) films are also investigated electrochemically and spectroscopically. The phenolic molecules are immobilized in both polymers due to the construction of hydrogen bonds by PANI and the complexation with PVF⁺. In addition, Ct and Hq are catalytically oxidized by PANI. Determinations of Ct and TotPh are performed on PVF⁺–PANI composite ‐ coated Pt electrode using amperometric I–t method. Composite coating exhibits significant electrochemical activity toward Ct and TotPh, with high sensitivity and a wide linearity range. The steady‐state currents versus concentration of Ct and TotPh are found to be linear in the range of 1.35 × 10^?3?50.0 mM and 4.10 × 10^?4?560 mM for two linear regions, respectively. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43596.     

View-dependent 3-D mesh coding by rate allocation with the image rendering-based distortion measures

Low-bandwidth transmission of synthetic digital content to the end user device in the form of a scene of 3-D meshes requires efficient compression of the mesh geometry. For applications in which the meshes are observed from a single viewpoint, this work explores the use of the image rendering-based distortion measures in rate allocation to their surface regions for view-dependent mesh geometry compression. It is experimentally demonstrated that the image rendering-based distortion measures yield far superior performance (the quality of the rendered image of the reconstructed scene from a viewpoint at a given rate) in optimal rate allocation than other previously proposed distortion measures. A fast rate allocation method is also proposed for use with the image rendering-based measures for real-time or interactive applications. Not only does this method have significantly lower complexity than the optimal rate allocation method due to the rendering of the images of the reconstructed meshes at only judiciously selected rate–distortion operating points, but also its coding performance is just as competitive. Further complexity reduction in rate allocation, through rendering of only the coded regions of the meshes, is also investigated.