Tuning of shear thickening behavior and elastic strength of polyvinylidene fluoride via doping of ZnO-graphene

ZnO rice like nonarchitects are grafted on the graphene carbon core via a rapid microwave synthesis route. The prepared grafted systems are characterized via XRD, SEM, RAMAN, and XPS to examined the structural and morphological parameters. Zinc oxide grafted graphene sheets (ZnO-G) are further doped in β-phase of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to prepare the polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) via mixed solvent approach (THF/DMF). β-phase confirmation of PVDF PNCs is done by FTIR studies. It is observed that ZnO-G filler enhances the β-phase content in the PNCs. Non-doped PVDF and PNCs are further studied for rheological behavior under the shear rate of 1–100 s⁻¹. Doping of ZnO-G dopant to the PVDF matrix changes its discontinuous shear thickening (DST) behavior to continues shear thickening behavior (CST). Hydrocluster formation and their interaction with the dopant could be the reason for this striking DST to CST behavioral change. Strain amplitude sweep (10⁻³% -10%) oscillatory test reveals that the PNCs shows extended linear viscoelastic region with high elastic modulus and lower viscous modulus. Effective shear thickening behavior and strong elastic strength of these PNCs present their candidature for various fields including mechanical and soft body armor applications.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME IRAQI ASPHALTS I. NUMBER AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT INVESTIGATION OF DORA AND QAIYARAH ASPHALTS

ABSTRACT

The number average molecular weight (Mn¯) of two Iraqi asphalts has been studied before end after thermal treatment using vapour pressure osmometery. Changes in Mn¯ values after thermal aging were compared with the changes in their physical and mechanical properties. Toluene, benzene, cyclohexane, tetrahydrofuran and carbon tetrachloride were used to fractionate the asphalts The Mn¯ of each fraction was determined before and after aging.     

Development and evaluation of a virtual campus on Second Life: The case of SecondDMI

Video games and new communication metaphors are quickly changing today’s young people habits. Considering the actual e-learning scenarios, embedded in a fully technological enabled environment it is crucial to take advantage of this kind of capabilities to let learning process gain best results.     

Hierarchical multiobjective routing in Multiprotocol Label Switching networks with two service classes: a heuristic solution

Modern multiservice network routing functionalities have to deal with multiple, heterogeneous and multifaceted Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. A heuristic approach devised to find good solutions to a hierarchical multiobjective alternative routing optimization problem in Multiprotocol Label Switching networks with two service classes (and different types of traffic flows in each class), namely QoS and Best Effort services, formulated within a hierarchical network-wide optimization framework, is presented. This heuristic solution is based on a bi-objective constrained shortest path model and is applied to a test network used in a benchmarking case study. An experimental study based on analytic and discrete event simulation results is presented, allowing for an assessment of the quality of results obtained with this new heuristic solution for various traffic matrices. A dynamic version of the routing method is formulated and its performance with the same case study network is analysed.     

Produkte der Dimerisierung ungesättigter Fettsäuren IX: Kinetische Untersuchungen zur Dimerisierung von Linolsäure

Products of the Dimerisation of Unsaturated Fatty Acids IX: Kinetic Studies about the Dimerisation of Linoleic Acid To clarify the dimerisation process of linoleic acid, we investigated samples taken in different time intervals. The first reaction step is a water addition at double bonds of the starting material and not double bond isomerisation as previously assumed. The resulting unsaturated monohydroxy fatty acids can cyclize with the second double bond in an intramolecular reaction forming 2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran respectively 2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyran derivates. Linolenic acid, present nearly always in small amounts in linoleic acid, reacts to first dimerisation products with linoleic acid by formation of a C-C-bond. The aliphatic dimers cyclize in an intramolecular reaction to mono-cyclic compounds. No dimeric acids, which would result from a Diels-Alder-reaction, could be identified. Bicyclic and aromatic dimeric acids can also be found in the early phase of the dimerisation. In the further progress of the reaction isomerisations, hydrogenations and dehydrogenations of the primary reaction products occur, thus the content of aromatic substances increases steadily.     

Design of high fastness acid dyes for silk: a chemometric approach

A chemometric strategy tor the design of acid dyes for silk is reported. A small set of representative dyes was selected by the technique of fractional factorial design, using the principal properties of the substituents as design variables. The selected dyes were synthesised and fastness properties on silk were measured. Wash fastness and light fastness values were related to the chemical structure by the partial least squares (PLS) method. The models were used to predict the fastness of new dyes of the same class and to optimise the structure.     

Volatilization of hydrogen sulfide from a quiescent surface

Air-water mass transfer of hydrogen sulfide from a shallow tank with a quiescent surface under the influence of weak wind stress on the water surface was studied numerically using a two-dimensional model. The flow field in the tank was investigated using a computational code based on a finite volume, which is used to numerically solve momentum, mass and continuity conservation equations. The results show that water phase flow field is strongly dependent on the wind-induced surface velocity and the aspect ratio of the tank. Based on the numerical study, the liquid-side mass transfer coefficient is correlated with Reynolds number (R(e)), tank aspect ratio (AR) and Schmidt number (S(c)). Overall mass transfer coefficient (K(L)) values extend further downstream as the R(e) number increases.     

Speciation of Se in Bertholletia excelsa (Brazil nut): A hard nut to crack?

A separation method based on ion-pairing liquid chromatography was combined with both elemental (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)) and molecular (electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ES-MS-MS)) mass spectrometry in order to unravel the identity of the Se-species present in the complex matrix of Brazil nuts rich in Se. Via enzymatic digestion, Se-species were released from the matrix. Subsequently the species were separated and the Se was monitored on-line by ICP-MS. By HPLC–ES-MS-MS, the species were identified based on their molecular mass and their specific product ions. The main compound was identified as Se-Methionine. Another compound was identified as Se-Cystine, partly on the basis of the isotopic pattern of Se. This research was further extended to the analyses of in vitro gastrointestinal digests of the Brazil nuts. These digests were analyzed for their Se-content and screened for the presence of the different Se-species by HPLC–ICP-MS. In both the gastric and the intestinal digests, we were able to identify the Se-species as Se-Methionine and Se-Cystine by HPLC–ES-MS-MS. By coupling HPLC to both elemental and molecular mass spectrometry, the species present in Brazil nuts and supposedly extractable by our body were fully characterized.