Contents List and Abstracts from the Journal of the Adhesion Society of Japan

FTIR reflection spectroscopy was used to characterize thin films of a cyanurate prepolymer on evaporated aluminium and on silicon single crystal wafers. Both substrates are covered by their native oxides. The optical function of the prepolymer is derived from ATR measurements. The measured thin film reflectance spectra have to be interpreted in comparison with the corresponding bulk spectra obtained by simulation. All samples re-produce the bulk composition. The cyanate groups of the prepolymer are not involved in specific intermolecular interactions or in preferential orientation. This is also found for the triazine rings on Si. On Al, however, a considerable excess of triazine rings are oriented parallel to the interface. The vibration frequencies of the triazine groupings that are perpendicular to the Al substrate show a red shift to some 2–8 c^?1. This special interaction effect does not occur on Si. Both the preferential orientation and the specific inter-molecular interaction act at least 100 nm into the prepolymer layer.     

Sorption Properties of Vacuum-Dried Strawberries

This work demonstrates the influence of changes in parameters of vacuum drying (temperature and pressure) on the sorption properties of dried strawberries. Fruits were dried at 50 and 70°C under pressures of 4 and 16 kPa. Vacuum drying was also conducted during the first 4 h at 70°C and then the temperature was decreased to 50°C at a pressure of 4 kPa. The other combination included increasing the pressure after the first 4 h from 4 to 16 kPa at a drying temperature of 70°C. Sorption isotherms were determined in the dried strawberries. It was shown that with increasing drying temperatures, there was a notable deterioration in the capacity for absorbing water vapor by the vacuum-dried fruit. On the other hand, the pressure at which vacuum drying proceeded did not significantly affect water vapor absorption. Changing the parameters of vacuum drying—that is, temperature in the range of 50–70°C and pressure in the range of 4–16 kPa—affected the shape and structure of the resultant dried strawberries. The combination of vacuum drying with convective drying also influenced the shape and structure of the dried fruit.     

Methylglycinediacetic Acid as a New Complexing Agent for Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Industrial Wastewater

Sorption is a suitable method for the removal of all contaminants in the ionic form, also including heavy metal ions in the presence of complexing agents from different systems. The aim of this study was a comparison of Cu(II), Ni(II), and Pb(II) sorption in the presence of a complexing agent of a new generation on the strongly basic anion exchangers Amberjet 4200, Amberjet 4600, and Purolite A 520E under different chemical conditions. In the investigation, methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), patented by BASF The Chemical Company (Germany) and marketed under the brand name Trilon M, was used. It is a strong complexing agent, readily biodegradable in compliance with Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards. It was found that the sorption efficiency of strongly basic anion exchangers varied, depending on the metal ions concentration, the pH, the contact time, the temperature, and the properties of anion exchangers, that is, their forms. From the determined breakthrough curves, the distribution coefficients and the ion exchange capacities were calculated. Besides, two different kinetic behaviors were tested for the investigated systems. The experimental data fitted using the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Elovich sorption models, were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms and determine the isotherm constants. The variations of thermodynamic functions were also calculated.     

SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION FOR PRECONCENTRATION AND SEPARATION OF SELENIUM SPECIES

ABSTRACT

There is sufficient evidence today that selenium is both an essential and toxic element for animal and man. This review article intends to show the involvement of selenium in the environment and in biology. Attention is paid to its occurrence, distribution, sampling and storage and also recent developments for selenium determination reported in analytical literature. Special emphasis is placed on the application of solid sorbents for preconcentration and separation of inorganic and organic selenium species. Published data for these procedures are critically discussed.     

Modeling of Sorption Isotherms of Various Kinds of Wood at Different Temperature Conditions

Adsorption and desorption isotherms of pine, spruce, birch, and willow Salix viminalis v. Orm (2-year stem) under three temperature conditions (20, 50, 75°C) in the range of water activity 0.0–0.9 were studied. In order to describe our experimental data, five models were implemented (GAB, Peleg, Chung-Pfost, Oswin, Halsey) and compared. It was found that GAB and Peleg models provide the best fit to the experimental data. On the basis of GAB modeling, the monolayer moisture content for each kind of wood was calculated. Moreover, the hysteresis phenomenon was investigated. The influence of temperature and wood variety on sorption isotherms was also tested.     

DYNAMIC AND HYBRID NEURAL MODEL OF THERMAL DRYING IN A FLUTDIZED BED

ABSTRACT

A preliminary study aimed at comparing Classical Dynamic Neural Modelling (CDNM) and Hybrid Neural Modelling (HNM) to describe thermal dewatering process in a fluidized bed is presented Two schemes of HN modelling were developed to find the most efficient way of combining a classical mathematical model of the process and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). CDN model was developed using “moving window” technique. In the first scheme of HNM a feed-forward ANN was trained to predict evaporation rate and heat flux in the drying process. In the second scheme of the HN model, ANN was used to determine heat transfer coefficient only. Excellent prediction of drying process by HNM is proved.     

OPTIMIZATION AND NEURAL MODELLING OF PULSE COMBUSTORS FOR DRYING APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT

Results of investigations of a valved pulse combustor to choose optimal geometry, which covered measurements of the flow rates of air and fuel, pressure oscillations, including pressure amplitude and frequency and flue gas composition are presented in the paper. Experimental studies compsiring the operation of the pulse combustor coupled with a drying chamber and working separately are described. It was found that coupling of the pulse combustor with a drying chamber had no significant effect on the pulse combustion process. Smoother runs of pressure oscillations in the combustion chamber, lower noise level and slightly higher NO_x emission were observed. The velocity flow field inside the drying chamber was measured by LDA technique. Results confirmed a complex character of pulsating flow in the chamber. A large experimental data set obtained from measurements enabled developing a neural model of pulse combustion process. Artificial neural networks were trained to predict amplitudes and frequencies of pressure oscillations, temperatures in the combustion chamber and emission of toxic substances. An excellent mapping performance of the developed neural models was obtained. Due to complex character of the pulse combustion process, the application of artificial neural networks seems to be the best way to predict inlet parameters of a drying agent produced by the pulse combustor     

Selective Hydrogenation of Ethyne in Ethene‐Rich Streams on Palladium Catalysts,Part 2: Steady‐State Kinetics and Effects of Palladium Particle Size,Carbon Monoxide,and Promoters

Developments in the last three decades of kinetics of selective hydrogenation of ethyne in ethene‐rich streams on palladium catalysts are reviewed. Most of the studies can be described comprehensively by a model that assumes carbonaceous deposits (i) create irreversibly on the palladium surface small A types of active site (selective to ethene) and large E types of active site (selective to ethane), and (ii) are involved in hydrogenation of ethene on E _s sites on the support. The relative importance of these sites, with varying (i) reaction conditions, (ii) palladium dispersion, (iii) process modifiers, and (iv) promoters, is discussed.     

Hydrogen Effects in Metal Catalysts

The interaction of hydrogen with metals is the cause or basis of a host of phenomena ranging from the chemisorption of hydrogen on the surface, its dissolution in the metal, catalytic reactions involving hydrogen as a reactant or as an astoichiometric component, etc., to the formation of metal hydrides. Hydrogen -induced corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of steel are well known in chemical process industry and metallurgy. Catalytic reactions on metal or metal-oxide catalysts in the presence of hydrogen, often under pressure, are some of the major chemical, petroleum, and petrochemical processes of today, e.g., ammonia, methanol, Fischer-Tropsch, Oxo and other syntheses, hydrogenation of oils and fats, catalytic reforming, hydrode-sulfurization/hydrotreating, hydrocracking, and hydrogenation/ dehydrogenation.     

Evaluation of a water-resistant and biocompatible adhesive with potential use in bone fractures

The use of osteosynthesis materials when complex fractures are presented is well known. However, the use of these materials has not achieved a correct fixation and reduction of all bone fragments. Therefore, an adhesive for bones would provide a simple and quick method to fix this kind of fractures. The aim of this work is to propose and to evaluate an adhesive based on chitosan hydrogels that could have a potential use as a bone adhesive underwater and will not develop cytotoxic effects. Ionically and covalently crosslinked hydrogels based on chitosan were used in this study. Butt joint test with bovine cancellous bone specimens were used in order to measure the tensile bond strength (TBS) in ideal (completely dry) and physiological (immersed in water at 37 °C) conditions. Additionally, TBS was estimated as a function of time of bone specimens immersed in water at 37 °C. Cell viability was studied using MTT assay and cell morphology on the adhesive surface was examined by scanning electron microscope. Mechanical studies revealed that only covalently crosslinked hydrogels maintain their TBS at physiological condition with respect to the dry environment. In addition, it was observed that the TBS, using only covalently crosslinked hydrogels adhesives, dramatically changes as a function of time and its behavior increases as calcium carbonate and hydroxyapatite is added. Finally, in vitro cell testing of covalently crosslinked hydrogel with calcium carbonate and hydroxyapatite exhibited excellent biocompatibility. Therefore, this formulation is proposed as a potential candidate for clinical use in orthopedic surgery.