Diterpene resin acids: Major active principles in tall oil against Variegated cutworm,Peridroma saucia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Tall oil, a by-product of the kraft process for pulping softwood, has been shown to have insecticidal properties. In the present study, the active principles in tall oil against the variegated cutworm,Peridroma saucia Hübner, were investigated. GC-MS analysis showed that abietic, dehydroabietic, and isopimaric acids were major resin acid components of crude tall oil and depitched tall oil. When crude tall oil samples of differing resin acid composition were incorporated into artificial diet at a concentration of 2.0% fresh weight, they suppressed larval growth by 45–60% compared to controls. This suppression was significantly (P0.05) correlated with the equivalent contents of abietic, dehydroabietic, isopimaric, and total resin acids. These results were also evident from a diet choice test, showing that the second-instar larvae obviously selected diets with low levels of resin acids when different diets were randomly arranged in a Petri dish. Bioassays with pure resin acids (abietic, dehydroabietic, and isopimaric acids) demonstrated that all individual chemicals have similar bioactivity against this insect. Comparison of the bioactivities of depitched tall oil and an equivalent mixture of pure resin acids in thePeridroma chronic growth bioassay indicated that pure resin acids and depitched tall oil share a common mode of action to this insect. This study confirms that resin acids are major active principles in tall oil against the variegated cutworm, but other chemicals likely also contribute to the bioactivity of tall oil.     

Catalytic and inhibitory effects of dissolved Cd2+ on C3H8 electro-oxidation

Studies have been made of the effect of Cd²⁺ on the oxidation rate of C₃H₈ in 80% H₃PO₄ at 130 C on platinized Pt electrodes.Dissolved Cd²⁺ discharges, probably as Cd⁰, and forms a stable sub-monolayer on a Pt electrode at potentials as high as 0·5 V versus RHE. Although this Cd⁰ layer is apparently substantially desorbed in favor of adsorbed hydrocarbon, C₃H₈ adsorption is inhibited in its presence. C₃H₈ oxidation is also inhibited. However, the C₃H₈ oxidation rate is observed to increase under some circumstances, and this appears to be because Cd isabsorbed into the Pt lattice. Co-plating of Cd and Pt leads to an electrode which, once the excess Cd has been removed, appears to be stable, and which catalyses C₃H₈ oxidation by about a factor of three at 0·25 V. Above 0·3 V, this absorbed Cd somewhat inhibits C₃H₈ oxidation.     

Synthesis and Morphology of TiO2 Nanotube Arrays by Anodic Oxidation Using Modified Glycerol-Based Electrolytes

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanotube arrays were prepared by electrochemical anodization of titanium sheets in the glycerol 176 mL/H₂O 44 mL/NH₄F 0.5 wt% electrolytes modified with H₂SO₄ and NaAc addition. The surface morphologies, average inner diameter, and the length of the nanotube arrays changed with the solution pH in the range from 5.6 to 4.0 by adding H₂SO₄. A uniform surface morphology of the nanotubes with average inner diameter of ∼80 nm and a length of ∼1000 nm was obtained when the solution pH was 5.0. The growth rates of the nanotubes were remarkably enhanced by NaAc addition in the range of 0.04–0.14 M . With NaAc addition of 0.10 M , the length of the nanotube arrays reached 4.16 μm after an 8-h anodization, increasing 3.23 μm compared with no NaAc addition. The relationship between solution pH and growth of TiO₂ nanotubes was analyzed by current–time curves, solution electrical conductivities, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the role of NaAc was also discussed based on SEM and solution electrical conductivities.     

A growth mark method for studying growth mechanism of carbon nanotube arrays

A novel and simple growth mark method was developed to make marks during the growth process of carbon nanotube arrays. These marks can be read out under scanning electron microscope or optical microscope. Based on this method, the growth rates at different temperatures and under different acetylene partial pressures were measured, from which the activation energy and the order of reaction were determined. Based on our experimental results, the growth of carbon nanotube arrays in our experimental condition could not be diffusion-limited. The measured activation energy could possibly be attributed to the heterogeneous decomposition of acetylene over the catalyst particle. Furthermore the marked array with special segmental structure may be found some applications in the future.     

The kinetics of B‐a and P‐a type copolybenzoxazine via the ring opening process

The structure of benzoxazines is similar to that of phenolic resin through thermal self‐curing of the heterocyclic ring opening reaction that neither requires catalyst nor releases any condensation byproduct. These polybenzoxazine resins have several outstanding properties such as high thermal stability and high glass transition temperature. To better understand the curing kinetics of this copolybenzoxazine thermosetting resin, dynamic and isothermal differential scanning calorimetry measurements were performed. Three models, the Kissinger method, the Flynn–Wall–Osawa method, and the Kamal method, were used to describe the curing process. Dynamic kinetic activation energies based on Kissinger and Flynn–Wall–Osawa methods are 72.11 and 84.06 KJ/mol, respectively. The Kamal method based on an autocatalytic model results in a total order of reaction between 2.66 and 3.03, depending on curing temperature. Its activation energy and Arrhenius preexponential are 50.3 KJ/mol and 7959, respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 730–737, 2005     

Mathematical model of deoxidization with post stirring in a combined blowing converter

Dissolved oxygen in the steel at the terminal of the converter smelting process is the main cause for the formation of oxide inclusions, and the high terminal oxygen content worsens the steel cleanness. However, post stirring in a combined blowing converter can promote the carbon-oxygen reaction in the liquid steel and reduce the dissolved oxygen content at the terminal of the converter smelting process. Thus, the mathematical model of deoxidization in the post stirring process was obtained, and the rationa...     

稳定路径的Ad hoc网络QoS路由算法

移动Ad hoc网络中节点移动或能量耗尽会使得建立的QoS路径断裂而需重构路由,造成通信中断,对实时业务造成严重影响,提出了一种基于路径稳定性的QoS路由算法.该算法采用网络探测技术,综合考虑链路和节点稳定性,选择一条最稳定的路径进行通信,并实时监测路径状态变化,有效降低通信中断的概率.仿真表明,该算法有效改善了分组传送成功率、时延抖动等网络性能.     

确定土壤背景值的Hazen概率法——以铜陵矿区Pb为例

本文选取已知土壤背景含量的铜陵矿区,基于Hazen概率曲线,探讨了土壤污染重金属元素Pb背景含量与污染叠加含量的区分方法.得到Pb元素的背景含量为28.5μg/g,与该区深层土壤样中Pb元素含量的平均值(34μg/g)比较接近.还得到了Pb元素污染叠加含量与背景含量的界线点51μg/g.基于Hazen概率曲线区分铜陵矿区土壤Pb元素背景含量与污染叠加含量的方法是有效的,有必要将该方法推广到土壤中其它重金属污染元素、其它地区作进一步研究.     

AHP综合排序算法分析及其改进

层次分析法(AHP)是分析多目标评价、多指标决策问题时的一种常用的算法工具,但是传统AHP在进行综合排序时,却存在一定的算法缺陷,AHP不能保持各方案之间的独立性,导致当某些方案的指标值或者备选方案数量发生变化时,即使在同一评价标准下,AHP法也不能始终保证方案的排序的一致.针对这一问题,分析了AHP产生排序不一致的具体原因,指出其算法会导致最底层相对重要值会随着方案的数量的增加逐渐减少.提出用各方案与理想方案之间的相对效用指标代替传统AHP的综合排序指标,以使其能够始终保持各方案排序的一致性.给出的算例验证新方法的有效性.     

桁架结构形状优化的粒子群优化算法

为解决有应力约束、几何约束以及局部稳定性约束的桁架结构的形状优化设计,将粒子群优化(PSO)算法应用于桁架结构的形状优化设计.首先详细介绍了原始PSO算法的基本原理,然后引入压缩因子改进了原始的PSO算法,并提出了合理的参数设置值.优化计算过程中,综合考虑了节点坐标和截面面积等两类不同性质的设计变量.最后对几个经典问题进行了求解,并与传统的优化算法进行了比较.数值结果表明,改进的PSO算法具有良好的收敛性和稳定性,可以有效地进行桁架结构的形状优化设计.