Synthesis of 13(14)-hydroxy-<Emphasis Type="Italic">cis</Emphasis>-10-nonadecenyl amine hydrochloride

Compatibility between a hydrophilic nanoclay reinforcement and organophilic polymer matrix resin is achieved by ion exchange reaction substitution of intra gallery mono- or divalent cation with foreign aliphatic long-chain cation. The exchange of long-chain cation increases the organophilicity of the clay layers and provides sufficient layer separation for polymer chains to impregnate into the formation of a nanocomposite. This study demonstrates the synthesis of hydroxy functional longchain amine hydrochloride from Vernonia galamensis oil (VO). Vernonia galamensis oil, containing a naturally epoxidized long-chain TG, was transesterified under basic conditions to yield VO methyl esters (VOMe). The VOMe were reduced using lithium aluminum hydride (LAH) in hexane to obtain cis-12,13-epoxy-cis-9-octadecenol (vernanol) as the primary product. Vernanol was then converted to vernanyl mesylate, followed by reaction with potassium cyanide to obtain cis-13,14-epoxy-cis-10-nonadecenitrile (C₁₉ nitrile). The C₁₉ nitrile was reduced with LAH in diethyl ether medium and later reacted with hydrochloric acid to obtain the title product. ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FTIR, and matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) techniques were used to characterize the intermediates and the title product.     

Pervaporation separation of pentane–alcohol mixtures using nylon 6–polyacrylic acid (PAA) ionically crosslinked membranes. II. Experimental data and theoretical interpretation

Novel ionically cross-linked blended membranes of nylon 6 and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were studied for the pervaporation separation of the binary organic mixture of pentane and methanol. Membranes of composition 25 wt % PAA were used after cross-linking. The experimental data obtained from the pervaporation runs were compared with the theoretical values of the individual permeabilities for binary mixtures predicted by the modified Fels and Huang model. This new model is based on an extension of the free volume theory and the introduction of Flory–Huggins thermodynamics for the calculations of the binary interaction parameters and the diffusion coefficients. The calculated values of permeabilities obtained from this modified model were reasonably close to the experimental values.     

Preparation and study of terephthalate copolyester of ethylene glycol and butane-1,4-diol

Summary Random terephthalate copolyesters of ethylene glycol and butane-1,4-diol of various compositions were prepared by trans-esterification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with butane-1,4-diol (BD). Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) was used to elucidate the structure and compositions of copolyesters. The thermal behaviour of the copolyesters were investigated by differential thermal analysis (DTA). Intrinsic viscosities were measured in orthochlorophenol at 30°C.     

A unified view on lifetime distributions arising from selection mechanisms

In this paper, we formulate a flexible density function from the selection mechanism viewpoint (see, for example, Bayarri and DeGroot (1992) and Arellano-Valle et al. (2006)) which possesses nice biological and physical interpretations. The new density function contains as special cases many models that have been proposed recently in the literature. In constructing this model, we assume that the number of competing causes of the event of interest has a general discrete distribution characterized by its probability generating function. This function has an important role in the selection procedure as well as in computing the conditional personal cure rate. Finally, we illustrate how various models can be deduced as special cases of the proposed model.     

Short proofs for tricky formulas

Summary The object of this paper is to demonstrate how certain tricky mathematical arguments can be encoded as short formal proofs for the propositional tautologies representing the mathematical statements. Using resolution as a base proof system for the propositional calculus, we exhibit these short proofs under resolution augmented by one of two principles: the principle of extension, originally suggested by Tseitin, and the principle of symmetry, introduced in this paper. These short proofs illustrate the power of extension and symmetry in theorem proving.The principle of extension allows the introduction of auxiliary variables to represent intermediate formulas so that the length of a proof can be significantly reduced by manipulating these variables instead of the formulas that they stand for. Symmetry, on the other hand, allows one to recognize that a tautology remains invariant under certain permutations of variable names, and use that information to avoid repeated independent derivations of intermediate formulas that are merely permutational variants of one another.First we show that a number of inductive arguments can be encoded as short formal proofs using either extension or symmetry. We provide the details for the tautologies derived by encoding the statement, An acyclic digraph on n vertices must have a source. We then consider the familiar checkerboard puzzle which asserts that a checkerboard, two of whose diagonally opposite corner squares are removed, cannot be perfectly covered with dominoes. We demonstrate short proofs for the tautologies derived from the above assertion, using extension to mimic the tricky informal argument. Finally, we consider statements asserting the Ramsey property of numbers much larger than the critical Ramsey numbers. We show that the proof of Ramsey's theorem can be imitated using the principle of symmetry to yield short proofs for these tautologies.The main theme of the paper is that both extension and symmetry are very powerful augmentations to resolution. We leave open whether either extension or symmetry can polynomially simulate the other.This work was performed while the author was with the General Electric Research Center     

Surface roughness measurements in finish turning

A new approach is proposed for the on-line measurement of the maximum peak-to-valley roughness,R _max, of a finished-turned surface in the feed direction. The method is based on solving the inverse problem of light scattering by using a linear least-square estimate of the angular scattered light pattern reflected from a surface. A laser system has been developed to capture the light reflected under different cutting conditions. The effects of the ambient room light as well as the workpiece's rotational speed and methods for thier compensation are also discussed. Good correlation was found between the optical and stylus-measuredR _max.Nomenclature R _max maximum peak-to-valley roughness within the sampling length - R _q RMS surface roughness within the sampling length - R _a arithmetically averaged roughness within the sampling length - _z r.m.s. surface height within the sampling length - u r.m.s. slope of the surface within the sampling length - T correlation distance of the surface, defined as the distance in which the correlation coefficient,C(), equals e^–1 - I(₁,) intensity of reflected light - I _m(₁,₂,) measured intensity of reflected light at instant - ₁ angle of incidence of laser beam - ₂ scattering angle defining a CCD pixel location (₁ and ₂ are measured with respect to the normal of the surface of the workpiece coincident with the centre of the laser beam) - v scattering vector of reflected light - _x,_z components ofv in thex andz direction, respectively - L sampling length associated with the laser spot on the surface of the workpiece - j representative location of a CCD pixel - j CCD pixel location corresponding to the mean light level - p _j density function of the light intensity of thejth pixel - wavelength of laser light - nose radius of the cutting tool - ASLP angular scattered light pattern - K correction factor for the measured light intensity - S _m standard deviation of the measured ASLP - S _c standard deviation of the ASLP calculated from an estimatedR _max - K control step size ofK - computational error, defined as =|S _m–S_c|/S _m - K _a,K_b starting and ending point, respectively, within the search range forK - K _c,K_d two points within (K _a,K_b), determined by the golden section search method - V cutting speed (m/min) - f feed rate (mm/rev) - d depth of cut (mm) - H hardness of workpiece (found on Rockwell scale C) - CCD charge-coupled device     

Determination on the Effect of Ti Addition on the Microstructural,Mechanical and Wear Behavior of Cu–6Sn Alloy in as—Cast Condition

The objective of this research is to fabricate a ternary alloy (Cu–Sn–Ti), incorporating titanium into bronze with varying weight percentage of titanium (0.5 wt%, 1 wt%) to investigate its impact on microstructural and mechanical properties and wear behavior and to collate these results with those of conventional bronze (Cu–6Sn). The microstructure of the alloys was observed using a metallurgical microscope, and results exhibit a finer grain refinement in the dendritic structure, which causes an improvement in mechanical properties. The mechanical properties were tested (tensile strength, hardness), and they showed an increment in values corresponding to the increase in the weight percentage of titanium. However, owing to the formation of an inclusion (blowhole), there was a reduction in the tensile strength for Cu–6Sn.0.5Ti. The wear analysis was also carried out using a pin-on-disk tribometer with selected parameters of load (10–30 N), sliding distance (1000 m) and sliding velocity (1–3 m/s), and it was noted that there was an increase in the wear rate with an increase in load and distance for all combinations of parameters. There was also an improvement in the wear resistance with an increase in the weight percentage of Ti, in comparison with the conventional base alloy.     

Structural,thermal, micromechanical and electrical study of polyimide composite thin films incorporating indium tin oxide

Studies of composite films incorporating inorganic materials are of immense importance for current technological applications. Polyimide (PI) composite thin films incorporating indium tin oxide (ITO) at various weight ratios were processed using an in situ generation approach. The resultant product was imidized up to 350 °C to test the ability of the material to endure high temperatures without affecting the host matrix. The morphological behaviour of the PI/ITO composite films was investigated using Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy characterization techniques. The degrees of crystallinity and ITO particle size within the PI matrix were studied using X‐ray diffraction. The thermal, structural and electrical properties were analysed using thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, UV‐visible spectroscopy and the four‐probe technique. The micromechanical properties of the composites were evaluated in terms of tensile strength, tensile modulus and elongation. An overall improvement in the properties of the composite films was observed in comparison to those of pure PI. The synergistic improvement in the composite films is associated with the interaction mechanism between ITO and PI, where ITO becomes dispersed and interacts within the PI matrix. This leads to a decrease in available free‐space volume and increases the surface enrichment providing reinforcement to the matrix. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Firm valuation effects of the decision to adopt relationally governed business process outsourcing arrangements

Business process outsourcing (BPO) has recently grown in incidence and importance. However, academic research on this phenomenon is sparse. Further, studies on outsourcing have primarily used a transaction cost economics (TCE) lens, largely neglecting other key theoretical explanations of the outsourcing decision and performance. While TCE provides a useful framework, it underemphasises hybrid governance structures that reflect relationships that fall between markets and hierarchies. We examine the decision to adopt relationally governed BPO arrangements and the impact on firm value. We recognise ‘discriminatory alignment’ aspects of governance and argue that the nature of the process itself will influence the value that can be garnered through relational governance. Using secondary data on 298 BPO announcements, we test the proposed model and confirm that a higher level of relational governance adoption strongly enhances firm valuation. This positive valuation impact of relational governance adoption reaches an even higher level in situations of primary processes and processes that have had a presence in the outsourcing organisation. The results emphasise the importance of considering all processes for outsourcing, the critical consideration of relational governance and the importance of planning governance structures that are aligned with the nature and experience with the process being outsourced.     

Production of bio-ethanol from an innovative mixture of surgical waste cotton and waste card board after ammonia pre-treatment

Ethanol production from waste biomass using a slightly modified bio-refinery approach was performed in this work to cater to the increasing need of alternate fuels and fuel additives globally. A surgical waste cotton and waste packaging cardboard mixture after a 15% v/v ammonia pre-treatment showed 70% lignin removal. An optimized saccharification using In-house Cellulases produced from Trichoderma harzanium ATCC 20846 had a percentage saccharification of 45% and percentage yield saccharification of 94.6%. An optimized fermentation using Saccharomyces cereviseae strain RW143 resulted in the yield of 0.4 g ethanol/g glucose from the 15% (v/v) glucose in the enzymatically saccharified hydrolysate loaded. The distilled ethanol had 90% (v/v) concentration and180 proof (twice the amount of concentration percentage in v/v) purity. 1 kg biomass mixture when processed as mentioned would yield 120 mL ethanol. Two diesel-ethanol blends (E-10 and E-20) and a commercial Diesel control were used to rate an IC engine’s brake power.