Acoustic scanning microscopy of grain structure in isotropic solids: pure aluminium and Al-2.5% Mg alloy

A scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) has been built, and its main features are described. Acoustical imaging of the grain structures in elastically isotropic 99.995% pure aluminium, Al-2.5% Mg alloy, and of a composite structure of Al + SiC particles has been performed using this instrument. We obtain surprisingly good contrast and therefore good imaging in both pure aluminium and Al-2.5% Mg. The fact that we obtain good contrast even in elastically isotropic materials like aluminium and Al-2.5% Mg shows that SAM imaging is very sensitive to mechanical near-surface properties.On leave from Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India     

Evaluation of an automatic seizure detection method for the newborn EEG

In another publication, we described a set of methods for automatic detection of EEG seizures in the newborn. We describe here the evaluation of these methods using a completely new set of data, which were not used in developing the method. This testing data set consisted of recording from 54 patients, lasting an average of 4.4 h. Recordings had 8-16 channels and were obtained, in approximately equal numbers, from 3 institutions in Canada, the USA and Australia. Recording conditions varied from short recordings fully attended by a technologist to overnight recordings largely unattended. The average seizure detection rate was 69% (77%, 53%, 84% in the 3 institutions). False detections occurred at the average rate of 2.3/h (4.1, 1.0, 2.7 in the 3 institutions), with fluctuations that reflected largely the technical quality and level of supervision of the recordings. The results are similar to those obtained in the commonly used method of epilepsy monitoring in adults and allow us to envisage clinical application.     

Professional culture and risk perception: Coping with danger on board small fishing boats and offshore service vessels

This paper discusses the relationships between subjective risk perception and individuals’ adaptation to high-risk working conditions. It is based on a study carried out among personnel on offshore service vessels in the North Sea and Norwegian fishermen. Risk perception, fatality rates and the discrepancy between subjective risk perception and formal risk levels are compared. The results of these comparisons are discussed by using the concept of culture, and indicate that a correlation between formal risk estimation and subjective perception does not necessarily exist. In fact, subjective risk perception may be seen as a reflection of interactional conventions developed among employees dealing with their working conditions, more than as a reflection of the formal estimated risk level.     

The synthesis of barium hexaferrite from iron oxide and barium carbonate: II. The role of iron oxide texture

The texture of several samples of laboratory-prepared and commercial iron oxide and their reactivity with barium carbonate (BaCO₃.6Fe₂O₃) has been examined. The first stage of the reaction involves decarbonation with the formation of monoferrite and dynamic thermogravimetry was used to assess mix reactivity. While some of the variation in the behaviour of iron oxide powders could be appreciated from an examination of their texture by scanning electron microscopy and porosity determination, prediction of their reactivity was not possible. In fact the reactivity of the mix can best be considered to give an indication of the efficiency of mixing of the finer iron oxide particles with the barium carbonate. In the subsequent formation of barium hexaferrite the coarse end of the iron oxide particle size range is of primary importance since it controls the rate of completion of the reaction. The larger aggregates in an iron oxide sample can readily be detected by scanning electron microscopy but conclusions regarding reactivity may be erroneous if this coarse material is dispersed during mixing. It was shown by scanning electron microscopy that the least reactive iron oxide sample examined contained aggregates which survived the mixing process employed.     

An X-ray double crystal topographic assessment of defects in quartz resonators

This paper describes an X-ray double crystal topographic study of defects in eighteen quartz resonators designed to operate at 1.4 MHz. The types of defects found in quartz are described, together with their reported effects on resonator performance. The mode of operation of the bulk resonator and the technique of X-ray double crystal reflection topography are outlined. Topographs reveal the electrode structures and surface features of the resonators together with the presence of growth defects such as dislocation cells, sub-boundaries, growth striations and growth sector boundaries. Spurious flexure modes in two resonators are also shown. It is demonstrated that a correlation exists between the presence of growth striations (and probably sub-boundaries) and a higher equivalent series resistance of the resonators. It is shown that such defects change the contributions to the losses, possibly by changing the nature of the vibration pattern of the resonator.     

The characterisation of aluminium hydroxide gels by nitrogen adsorption

Aluminium hydroxide gels with a range of textures have been prepared by the hydrolysis of aluminium s- butoxide with water, aqueous ethanol and aqueous glycerol. Crystallisation was permitted to take place to varying extents by ageing of precipitates in their mother liquors at room temperature. Adsorption isotherms on the outgassed gels were of Types II and IV of the Brunauer classification. An examination of the data by plotting reduced isotherms (V/V_m versus P/P_o) revealed the existence of reversible capillary condensation on some of the hydroxides, although the isotherms were of Type II. The Lippens de Boer t method has been found useful in locating the onset of capillary condensation in an adsorption isotherm, but the t-plot can be misleading with samples that have a spread of pore dimensions extending into both the micro- and transitional-pore regions. This situation appears to arise in pseudoboehmites aged for extended periods so that cementation is extensive. The principal factors influencing the texture of the gels appear to be the extent of crystallisation and the amount of inter-particle cementation. Thus amorphous material prepared in water was found to be porous whereas that precipitated in glycerol, which apparently protects the surface of the primary particles, was non-porous (or macro-porous). Transitional pore systems with the best definition were obtained with pseudoboehmites, especially with those formed by ageing in aqueous ethanol. In water, the ready conversion of pseudoboehmite to low-area, non-porous, bayerite is a complicating factor.     

Analysis of some adsorption isotherms on calcium silicate hydrates

Tricalcium silicate was hydrated in suspension at a water/solid ratio (w/s) of 9 and as a paste at a w/s of 0.7. Water contents after outgassing at room temperature were 23–25% for the suspension hydrates and 19–20% for the pastes. Outgassing was standardised so that subsequent increases in BET nitrogen surface area were small even when the pumping time was doubled. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms were similar for both types of product except for the greater volume of mesopores in the suspension hydrates filled at relative pressures greater than ca 0.9_p0(r_p > 100 ǎ). Electron microscopy suggested that the additional uptake of nitrogen involved capillary condensation between bundles of fibrils. Adsorption at low relative pressures would have occurred principally between the fibrils which were of the order of 20 ǎ thick. Pore sizes could be seen to extend continuously from the mesopore to micropore range and the fact that all the isotherms contained a hysteresis loop closing with an abrupt desorption at ca0.44p0 was regarded as a property of liquid nitrogen rather than as an indication of the pore size distribution. A more quantitative indication of the pore size range present was obtained using the α_s method with standard data for Fransil (silica). Plots for pastes were similar to those for suspension hydrates indicating a similar texture accessible to nitrogen in the pastes at the high w/s used. In order to characterise further the surface of the hydrates argon and carbon dioxide adsorptions were determined and the data compared using the Frenkel–Halsey–Hill equation.     

Injection-salting of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

ABSTRACT:  The effects of temperature (−1, 4, and 10 °C), brine concentration (12% and 25% NaCl), injection volumes, and needle densities were investigated on fillet weight gain (%), salt content (%), fillet contraction (%), and muscle gaping in pre rigor brine-injected fillets of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ). Increased brine concentration (12% to 25%) significantly increased the initial (< 5 min after injection) and final contraction (24 h after injection) of pre rigor fillets. Increased brine concentration significantly reduced weight gain and increased salt content but had no significant effect on muscle gaping. The temperatures tested did not significantly affect weight gain, fillet contraction, or gaping score. Significant regressions ( P < 0.01) between the injection volume and weight gain (range: 2.5% to 15.5%) and salt content (range: 1.7% to 6.5%) were observed for injections of pre rigor fillets. Double injections significantly increased the weight gain and salt content compared to single injections. Initial fillet contraction measured 30 min after brine injection increased significantly ( P < 0.01) with increasing brine injection volume but no significant difference in the fillet contraction was observed 12 h after brine injection (range: 7.9% to 8.9%). Brine-injected post rigor control fillets obtained higher weight gain, higher salt content, more muscle gaping, and significantly lower fillet contraction compared to the pre rigor injected fillets.
Injection-salting is an applicable technology as a means to obtain satisfactory salt contents and homogenously distribute the salt into the muscle of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon before further processing steps such as drying and smoking.     

Rate of reactions between carbon dioxide and graphite

Solid graphite rods have been oxidized at temperatures between 1020 and 1510 °C using CO₂ containing gases. The activation energy was found to be 270 kJ/mol in the temperature range from 1020 to 1170 °C where the reaction is chemically controlled. At higher temperatures the reaction is controlled by external mass transfer of CO₂ with an activation energy of 86 kJ/mol. The shift from chemical to mass transfer control depends on the CO₂ pressure and the gas flow behaviour. Since per mol of carbon consumed one net mol of gas is produced, there is a net gas flow away from the graphite surface. This makes the transport of CO₂ to the surface more difficult, retarding the rate at high temperatures.     

Fluidized Bed Selective Oxidation-Sulfation Roasting of Nickel Sulfide Concentrate: Part II. Sulfation Roasting

The fluidized bed sulfation roasting process followed by water leaching was investigated as an alternative process to treat nickel sulfide concentrate for nickel production. The effects of several roasting parameters, such as the sulfation gas flow rate, roasting temperature, the addition of Na₂SO₄, and the roasting time, were studied. 79 pct Ni, 91 pct Cu, and 95 pct Co could be recovered with minimal dissolution of Fe of 4 pct by water leaching after two-stage oxidation-sulfation roasting under optimized conditions. The sulfation roasting mechanism was investigated, showing that the outermost layer of sulfate melt and the porous iron oxide layer create a favorable sulfation environment with high partial pressure of SO₃. Sulfation of the sulfide core was accompanied by the conversion of the sulfide from Ni_1?x S to Ni₇S₆ as well as inward diffusion of the sulfation gas.