Surface chemistry and suspension stability of oxide-nitride powder mixtures

The effect of bimetallic oxide sintering aids on the colloidal stability of homogeneous (surface-coated) and heterogeneous (mechanically mixed) silicon nitride powder mixtures in aqueous solution was studied by acoustophoretic analysis. While the surface charge generation and colloidal stability of single-phase and oxide-coated silicon nitride powder mixtures may be described according to the site dissociation model of amine and hydroxyl surface groups, the surface charge observed in heterogeneous multiphase powder mixtures is associated with the adsorption of soluble metal ion hydroxocomplexes on the nitride particles. Segregation of the mixtures by heteroflocculation, which causes the formation of agglomerates and microstructural defects upon sintering, may be avoided by generation of a threshold surface potential of equal sign on all powder constituents at a pH where the metal hydroxide dissolution is subcritical.     

Interfacial tension between low pressure argon plasma and molten copper and iron

The interfacial tension between the molten metal and the surrounding plasma environment affects the circulation of molten metal in the weld pool, heat transfer, and the eventual structure and properties of the weld metal. Since the effect of plasma on the interfacial tension of molten metals is not known, interfacial tension values between low pressure argon plasma and pure copper and iron were measured. The variables studied were temperature and the intensity of plasma emission.     

Hearing the horror: A comment on the final report of the APA Task Force on the Victims of Crime and Violence.

Comments that a critical element in the final report of the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on the Victims of Crime and Violence may be lost simply because of the enormity and complexity of the issues involved. The real nature of the victim's emotional experience is often not directly addressed by researchers or service providers in the mental health community. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Laser coupling to single-mode fibre using graded-index lenses and compact disc 1.3 ?m laser package

A 1.3 ?m laser in a compact disc package is coupled to single-mode fibre using two graded-index lenses in a nearly confocal scheme. An increase in the alignment tolerance at the lens-lens interface by a factor of six suggests the design for a potentially very low-cost connectorised laser package. The coupling efficiency of approx. 6% (?12 dB) is shown to be adequate for local loop applications.     

The elliptic paraboloid failure criterion for cellular solids and brittle foams

Summary Cellular solids and brittle foams are increasingly finding application in constructions mainly as core materials for loaded sandwich structures where the loading of the structure generates multiaxial stress states on them. It has been established that the principal mechanism of deformation is based on the cell-wall bending and closed-cell as well as open-cell foams present similar stiffnesses. Therefore simple relations are found for their tensile, compressive and shear strengths and their elastic properties.It has been established in this paper that the modes of failure of such materials can be satisfactorily described by the elliptic paraboloid failure criterion for the general orthotropic body. Then, as soon as the yield or failure stresses in simple tension and compression are measured along the three principal stress directions of the material the failure locus is unequivocally defined and all the properties of the material under any complicated load can be accurately established. However, since these materials fail in the compression-compression-compression octant of the principal stress space by elastic buckling, the EPFS-criterion is cut-off by an ellipsoid surface, with intercepts along the principal axes the respective compressive failure stresses.The criterion thus established yields satisfactory results. It has been tested among others in a reticulated vitreous carbon foam as well as in an aluminium foam. The experimental results for these foams existing in the literature are fitting better with this universal criterion than any other considered, thus indicating the validity of the elliptic paraboloid failure criterion also for this type of materials.     

The glass fibre-polymer interface: II—Work of fracture and shear stresses

Pull-out experiments have been carried out on single production fibres under carefully controlled conditions. Four parameters were determined. The interfacial yield stresses, of about 9–14 MPa, were very much smaller than the shear strengths of the bulk polymers in the case of an epoxy, whether post-cured or not, and a non-post-cured polyester. Values for the work of fracture of the interface varied from 140 to 300 Jm^?2, and again were less than those of the polymer. Interface failure sometimes took place in the epoxy rather than at the fibre surface, whereas with the polyester it always took place at the fibre surface. After interface failure, pull-out was governed by friction, with maximum shear stresses of 7–10 MPa for polyester, and 21–34 MPa for epoxy, the higher values being obtained for the post-cured resins. Average frictional shear stresses were sometimes less than a half of the maximum shear stress, indicating that the fibre Poisson's shrinkage was playing an important role in the pull-out process. A silicone release agent reduced the frictional shear stresses to 2·5 MPa, with both resins.     

Ozonation of CI Reactive Black 5 using rotating packed bed and stirred tank reactor

This study investigates the ozonation of CI Reactive Black 5 (RB5) by using the rotating packed bed (RPB) and completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as ozone contactors. The RPB, which provides high gravitational force by adjusting the rotational speed, was employed as a novel ozone contactor. The same ozone dosage was separately introduced into either the RPB or the CSTR for the investigation, while the experimental solution was continuously circulated within the apparatus consisting of the RPB and CSTR. The decolorization and mineralization efficiencies of RB5 in the course of ozonation are compared for these two methods. Moreover, the dissolved and off‐gas ozone concentrations were simultaneously monitored for the further analysis. As a result, the ozone mass transfer rate per unit volume of the RPB was significantly higher because of its higher mass transfer coefficient and gas–liquid concentration driving force. Furthermore, ozonation kinetics was found to be independent of the gravitational magnitude of an ozone gas–liquid contactor. Therefore, the results suggest employing RPBs as ozone‐contacting devices with the advantage of volume reduction. The experimental results, which can be used for further modeling of the ozonation process in the RPB, also show the requirement of correct design for the RPB. Consequently, the present study is useful for the understanding of practical application of RPBs. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Modelling and analysis of 3-D arrangements of particles by point processes with examples of application to biological data obtained by confocal scanning light microscopy

Within the concept of point processes, a review is presented of quantities which can be used in studies of three-dimensional (3-D) aggregates of particles. Suitable characteristics and estimators are given for both unmarked and marked point processes. To demonstrate the feasibility of such quantitative approaches, an application in histology, dealing with 3-D arrangements of cell nuclei in rat liver, is described. Using a confocal scanning light microscope, 3-D images are recorded and image analysis used to obtain the coordinates of the centroid, together with the volume and DNA content, of each cell nucleus. Examples of results are given, using both unmarked and marked point processes. In the latter case, cell type, nuclear volume and ploidy group are suitable marks.