Combustion in Ni–Al System with Cu Additive (Powder or Rod). Experiment and Mathematical Model

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - Experimental studies have been carried out with theoretical calculations of wave synthesis in the Ni–Al–Cu system using a mathematical model....     

Cerium Effect on the Phase Composition and Crystallization Behavior of Aluminum Casting Alloys Based on the Al–Mg–Si System

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - Using a Thermo-Calc software package (TCAl4.0 database), unexplored data concerning the phase composition and crystallization behavior of...     

Ensuring Strength in Laser Welds Made Using the Dispersion-Hardened EP693 Nickel Alloy

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - The process of making a weld using the heat-resistant EP693 alloy (Ni–Cr–W–Co–Co–Mo system) to make assemblies and components...     

Grain Refinement of Casting Aluminum Alloys of the Al–Mg–Si System by Processing the Liquid Phase Using Nanosecond Electromagnetic Pulses

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - In this paper, using the AA 511 alloy of the Al–Mg–Si system as an example, it is shown that the irradiation of aluminum melts with nanosecond...     

Production of Powdered α-Fe2O3 with Multilevel Gradient Porosity

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - This article discusses methods for producing a material with gradient multilevel porosity by sintering layer-by-layer distributed α-Fe2O3 nanopowders...     

Effect of Conditions of High-Temperature Treatment on the Structure and Tribological Properties of Nickel-Based Laser-Clad Coating

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - Laser cladding, which is characterized by the minimal thermal impact on the substrate, is an advanced technique to restore the working dimensions of parts...     

Microdistortions,Hardness, and Young’s Modulus of Multicomponent Bcc Solid Solutions

Powder Metallurgy and Metal Ceramics - The phase composition, type II microstresses, and coherent scattering domains (CSDs) of multicomponent (medium- and high-entropy) bcc solid solutions with an...     

The Influence of Hydrogen Concentration in an Ar–H2 Mixture on the Electrical Properties of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Powder Metallurgy and Metal Ceramics - Fuel cells are today among the most efficient and environmentally friendly devices for the production of electricity. They are developing rapidly and are...     

A resilience assessment method for urban water systems

Infrastructure planning for Urban Water Systems (UWSs) is challenged by, inter alia, increasing uncertainty in both demand and availability of water and aging infrastructure, and this is already impacting the climate-proofing of cities. In this context, the idea of resilience has been gradually embraced by the water sector, but the term itself is not yet universally defined, nor operationalised. Here, we propose a methodology to assess the resilience of a UWS, defining it as the degree to which the UWS continues to perform under increasing stress. A resilience assessment method is then proposed as a ‘stress-test’ of UWS configurations, under increasingly more stressful scenarios. We then demonstrate a toolbox assembled for the proposed analysis using, as a proof of concept, a semi-synthetic case study. Results are promising, suggesting that the approach could assist in the uptake and evolution of resilience thinking in strategic water infrastructure decision making, leading to water-wiser cities.     

Managerial identity work in action: performative narratives and anecdotal stories of innovation

Innovation is invariably accepted as a central component of construction sector competitiveness. Yet, there remains a paucity of empirical research, which explores the gap between the way innovation is promoted in the policy discourse and how it is interpreted in practice. We follow the “narrative turn” in organization studies to explore the ways in which senior executives in the UK construction sector ascribe themselves with informal roles while advocating the cause of innovation. Empirical data is derived from narrative interviews with 32 senior executives who self-identify as “innovation champions”. When talking about innovation, the respondents were found to oscillate between performative narratives of innovation and more personalized stories derived from their own experience. The narratives were invariably pre-rehearsed often to the point of being monotonous. In contrast, the personalized stories tended to be engaging and emotionally laden. The tendency for senior executives to oscillate between narratives and stories is seen as an important means through which they search for meaning while at the same time legitimizing their self-identities as “innovation champions”. Of particular note is the way in which senior managers self-ascribe themselves with informal roles which are notably at odds with those described in more formalized narratives.