High-rate reactive deposition of transparent SiO2 films containing low amount of Zr from molten magnetron target

The paper reports on a reactive deposition of transparent SiO₂ films with a low amount (≤ 3 at.%) of Zr prepared from the molten target using the AC pulsed dual magnetron. It is shown that the deposition rate a_D of the transparent oxide film strongly increases at the critical target power density (W_t)_cr when the solid target starts to melt and the magnetron operates with a molten target. In this case, the evaporation of target material plays a dominant role in the reactive deposition of thin films. This process is called the ionized magnetron evaporation. Oxide films reactively deposited from the molten target are well transparent and highly elastic. The maximum deposition rate of the transparent oxide film achieved in our experiments is 814 nm/min.     

Energy utilisation of biowaste — Sunflower-seed hulls for co-firing with coal

Sunflower-seed hulls (SSH) represent a source of combustible biomass characterised by high contents of potassium and phosphorus and a low silica content. The relatively high net calorific value of 20 MJ/kg d.m. is mainly influenced by the lignin content. Potassium and phosphorus are very important elements in biomass combustion for fuel, influencing slagging and fouling problems. Mixtures with different ratios of brown coal and sunflower-seed hulls (0-22% SSH) were co-fired in the Olomouc power plant. The behaviour of elements in the fly ash and the bottom ash (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, K₂O, P₂O₅, Zn, Cu and Cd) varied in relation to the amount of SSH added to the coal. The fly ash from the co-firing of 20% SSH with coal had a high content of water-leachable sulphates and total dissolved solids. The utilisation of fly ash in civil engineering (land reclamation) should fulfil criteria established by the Council Decision 2003/33/EC for non-hazardous waste. To ensure that the required water-leachable sulphate concentrations are within regulatory limits the fuel may contain a maximum of 14% SSH.     

Positron Annihilation Study of Zirconia Nanopowders and Nanoceramics Stabilized by Magnesia and Ceria

Positron lifetime (LT) and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) measurements on nanopowders and ceramics of ceria‐ and magnesia‐stabilized zirconia (CeSZ and MgSZ, respectively) are presented. The nanopowders were prepared by the coprecipitation technique. Effects of nanopowder calcination and sintering at various temperatures were investigated. In the nanopowders, the two kinds of open‐volume defects associated with grain boundaries (GBs) could be identified via positron trapping: (i) vacancy‐like misfit defects situated along GBs and (ii) larger defects at the intersections of at least three GBs (triple points). CDB measurements on CeSZ compacted nanopowders indicated a segregation of Ce ions along GBs. A few percent fractions of positrons were found to form positronium localized in pores of ≈1.8 nm diameter in compacted nanopowders. Sintering of nanopowders at 1500°C appeared to be sufficient for disappearance of pores and triple point defects. In sintered ceramics, contrary to compacted nanopowders, positrons were trapped in zirconium vacancies in grain interiors.     

Two-Step Sintering of oxide ceramics with various crystal structures

The influence of Two-Step Sintering (TSS) process on the final microstructure of oxide ceramic materials with three different crystal structures was studied. Two kinds of alumina (particle size 100 nm resp. 240 nm) as well as tetragonal zirconia (stabilized with 3 mol% Y₂O₃, particle size 60 nm) and cubic zirconia (8 mol% Y₂O₃, 140 nm) powders were cold isostatically pressed and pressurelessly sintered with different heating schedules. The microstructures achieved with TSS method were compared with microstructures achieved with conventional Single-Step Sintering (SSS) schedule. The results showed that the efficiency of the TSS of these oxide ceramics was more dependent on their crystal structure than on their particle size and green body microstructure. The method of TSS brought only negligible improvement of the microstructure of tetragonal zirconia and hexagonal alumina ceramics. On the other hand, TSS was successful in the sintering of cubic zirconia ceramics; it led to a decrease in grain size by a factor of 2.     

Impact of Swell-Drying Process on Water Activity and Drying Kinetics of Moroccan Pepper (Capsicum annum)

The impacts of total hot air drying (THD) and the swell-drying process (SD), which is hot air drying coupled with an instant controlled pressure drop DIC process, on the drying kinetics and adsorption isotherm behavior, were determined in the case of Moroccan peppers. Drying kinetics were studied through a model that takes into account the starting accessibility and the internal diffusion model with Fick's law. Adsorption experimental data were obtained by using the gravimetric method at 25, 40, and 50°C. Data were fitted to the GAB, Halsey, and Oswin models. Studied responses were: effective diffusivity (D_eff), starting accessibility (δW_s), monolayer moisture content (X_m), specific surface area (σ), internal porosity (?), and microstructure. Mean relative percentage deviation (E) and root mean square (RMS) were used to evaluate the fitting of models. Results showed that: pepper adsorption isotherms followed the type II isotherm curve;the equilibrium moisture content (X_eq) depended on the temperature and the drying method; the GAB and Halsey models fitted well the experimental data; at selected conditions of the DIC treatment (0.35 MPa and 5 s), the monolayer moisture content (X_m), the specific surface area (σ), and the internal porosity values were higher than those of THD samples; the DIC process intensified the drying operation, by increasing the effective diffusivity and the starting accessibility. Although the DIC process improves the drying kinetics, this behavior could be ignored related to a higher a_w. This study shows that, thanks to the new expanded structure obtained by the DIC process (higher porosity), the adsorption capacities of products are improved (a_w is reduced). Thus, the SD process improves both the drying operation and the stability of dried pepper products.     

Material,structure, chosen mechanical and comfort properties of kinesiology tape

The main objective of this paper is to determine material composition, structure, and chosen mechanical and thermo-physiological comfort properties of selected kinesiology tape. The results of experiments show that kinesiology tape is a non-linear elastic and porous composite material. Warp yarns are core-spun elastic yarns, while weft yarns are 100% cotton yarns. Fabric has a plain weave and its back side is equipped with an adhesive. Tensile strength of kinesiology tape ranges from 80 to 180 N depending on the tape width. In a relaxed state, porosity together with air permeability and other heat and mass transfer characteristics are mainly affected by the compact layer of adhesive on the surface of woven fabric. During tensioning, pores are expanding and therefore transfer of air and water vapor is significantly increased and at the same time heat transfer is reduced which can positively affect wearer comfort.     

Upper and lower critical solution temperatures for star branched polystyrene in cyclohexane

Summary Upper and lower critical solution temperatures have been measured for star polystyrene samples, with varying degrees of branching, dissolved in cyclohexane. The effect of branching on the phase separation of these solutions is small in the lower critical region but becomes significant in the upper critical region. In all cases branching tends to extend the solubility range for polystyrene in cyclohexane. This is accentuated when the degree of branching is high and also when the molecular weight is low.Royal Society European Fellow 1975.British Council Fellow.     

Behavior of Hilbert networks under perturbations of their elements

We study the behavior of a Hilbert network (i.e., a finite or countably infinite network whose variables are in a Hilbert space and in which the associated total energy is finite) whose elements are affected by perturbations. More specifically, we will give estimates for a change of the current distribution caused by (a) perturbations of the elements of the nominal network when the voltage sources are fixed, and (b) a change of voltage sources in a network whose elements are perturbed. The conditions given in our theorems imply insensitivity and robust stability of the nominal network. The applications of the results are illustrated by an example of an infinite network.This research was supported by the NSF Grant #DMS-9102910.