Block polymers from poly(ethylene oxide) and styrene

Block copolymers containing poly(ethylene oxide) and polystyrene segments were synthesised via chemical reactions. A step-wise procedure was first employed to prepare peroxycarbamates which were later used to initiate free radical polymerization of styrene at elevated temperatures. In some runs the polymerization temperature and time were programmed. Styrene contents, molecular weights, elastic modulus—temperature relationships, impact strengths and stress—strain behaviour of the copolymers were determined.     

Dynamic Recrystallization Behavior of a Fe-Cr-Ni Super-Austenitic Stainless Steel

The super-austenitic stainless steels are extensively utilized in the seamless tubes production for oil extraction industries.Due to the importance of thermo-mechanical processing in the production of these tubes, the dynamic recrystallization(DRX)characteristics of a Cr-Ni super austenitic stainless steel(1.4563)were investigated in the present study.This was performed using the hot compression testing method in the temperature range of 950-1150-C and the strain rate of 10-3-10-1 s-1.The initiation and evo...     

A Route Towards Sustainability Through Engineered Polymeric Interfaces

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of polymer films represent the marriage of two of the most important technological innovations of the modern age. CVD as a mature technology for growing inorganic thin films is already a workhorse technology of the microfabrication industry and easily scalable from bench to plant. The low cost, mechanical flexibility, and varied functionality offered by polymer thin films make them attractive for both macro and micro scale applications. This review article focuses on two energy and resource efficient CVD polymerization methods, initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) and oxidative Chemical Vapor Deposition (oCVD). These solvent‐free, substrate independent techniques engineer multi‐scale, multi‐functional and conformal polymer thin film surfaces and interfaces for applications that can address the main sustainability challenges faced by the world today.     

Investigating a Suitable Empirical Model and Performing Regional Analysis for the Suspended Sediment Load Prediction in Major Rivers of the Aegean Region,Turkey

This study investigates the appropriateness of four major empirical methods [Lane and Kalinske, Einstein, Brooks, Chang—Simons—Richardson] for predicting suspended sediment loads (SSLs) in three major rivers in the Aegean Region, Turkey. The measured data from 1975 to 2005 were used to test performance of the models. It was found that Brooks method was more appropriate, among the others, for predicting suspended sediment loads from each river. The prediction results of Brooks method were further improved by the use of genetic algorithm (GA_Brooks) optimizing a fitting parameter and showing a comparable performance to those of artificial neural networks (ANNs) and neuro-fuzzy (ANFIS) models for the same rivers. GA_Brooks, ANNs, and ANFIS models can be used for predicting loads at a regional scale. The sensitivity analysis results revealed that suspended and bed material particle diameters affect suspended sediment loads significantly.     

Modification of atactic polypropylene to prepare emulsions by oxidation in melt

Oxidation of atactic polypropylene (APP) obtained as by product from polypropylene production is studied in melt to obtain polymers which are easily emulsified by commercial emulsifiers. The experiments are done using a sitrred, jacketed glass reactor and the relevant heating, air-feeding, and sampling attachments. Oxidation is followed by the change of carbonyl absorbance, iodine number, acid number, molecular weight, and melt flow index (MFI) by time. The relevant tests are done by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and standard tests with minor modifications are applied. It is found that as temperature, air flow rate, and mixing speed are increased, higher oxidation rates are obtained. It is also found that initiator types and concentrations used are not as effective as the above parameters. By oxidation as molecular weight reduces, molecular weight distribution narrows. Correlation between MFI, iodine number, and molecular weight of the oxidized APP is also made for easy follow-up of oxidations. In addition, it is found that for easy and stable emulsions, APP must be modified by oxidation to iodine number and MFI higher than 30 mg/g and 3.5, respectively.     

Short-term and long-term effects on carbon storage of pulse feeding on acclimated or unacclimated activated sludge

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of different feeding patterns on the physiological state of the activated sludge and related microbial composition in an SBR (SRT of 2 days, acetate as the sole carbon source, aerobic conditions). The activated sludge was acclimated to two subsequent feeding patterns, namely to continuous feeding throughout the reaction phase and then to pulse feeding. FISH and microscopy staining procedure (Nile blue) were used to investigate the microbial composition, in combination with quantitative determination of storage. At steady state, storage was significant even under continuous feeding whereas pulse feeding brought a strong increase of both rate and yield of storage. Short-term and long-term effects were clearly distinguishable: the immediate adaptation of biomass coming from continuous feeding to a single spike accounted for a significant portion of the overall increase of both rate and yield of polymer storage that was obtained after long acclimation to pulse feeding. On the contrary, after either type of feeding, both cultures were mainly constituted from the members of Thauera/Azoarcus group. Thus, the same dominant group preferably consumed the acetate via storage or growth depending on acclimation conditions. Our study clearly showed that a progressive increase of storage capacity is not necessarily due to a shift of microbial composition.     

A detailed analytical analysis of a passive resonant snubber cell perfectly constructed for a pulse width modulated d.c.–d.c. buck converter

In this paper, a detailed analytical analysis of a passive resonant snubber cell that is perfectly constructed for a pulse width modulated (PWM) d.c.-d.c. buck converter is proposed. This snubber cell provides a larger overall efficiency and a wider load range than most of the active snubber cells presented previously, and has a simple structure and low cost. The operation principles and a detailed steady-state analysis of a PWM buck converter implemented with this snubber cell are presented. The theoretical analysis is verified with a prototype of a 5-kW and 50-kHz insulated gate bipolar transistor-(IGBT)-PWM buck converter. All of the semiconductor devices in the converter operate under soft switching conditions. Additionally, at 80% output power, the overall efficiency of the proposed soft switching converter is increased to about 98% from the value of 91% in its counterpart hard switching version.     

Micron-Level Actuators for Thermal Management of Microelectronic Devices

The failure rate of electronic equipment depends on the operating temperature. Although demand for more effective cooling of electronic devices has increased in the last decades because of the microminiaturization in device sizes accompanied by higher power dissipation levels, there is still a challenge for engineers to attain improved reliability of thermal management for intermediate and low-heat-flux systems. In the present study, an innovative alternative method is proposed and a computational parametric study has been conducted. A single microchip is placed in a two-dimensional channel. Different synthetic jet configurations are designed as actuators in order to investigate their effectiveness for thermal management. The effect is that the actuator enhances mixing by imparting momentum to the channel flow, thus manipulating the temperature field in a positive manner. The best control is achieved when the actuator is placed midway on the chip length and increasing the throat height. Also, using nozzle-like throat geometry increases the heat transfer rate from the microchip surface. Doubling the number of the actuators, optimally placing them, and phasing their membrane oscillations all improve the cooling.