Modification of γ-(Fe,Cr)3C pseudo-binary eutectic

The -(Fe, Cr)₃C pseudo-binary eutectic alloy with K, Ce, Sb additives was unidirectionally solidified in a Brigdman-type unit. The quasi-regular, lamellar eutectic carbide was changed into rods and bent blades by the modifiers under well-controlled conditions. At very slow growth, partial modification was common. At growth rates corresponding to a slightly cellular interface, a fully modified structure could be obtained. The modification behaviour as a function of the modifying element, its concentration and the growth rate is described and discussed.     

以第一性原理研究立方相CeO2的弹性、电子结构和光学性质

运用基于密度泛函理论(DFT)框架下的超软赝势平面波(USPP)方法,计算了立方相CeO2的几何结构、弹性性质、电子结构和光学性质,并采用HSE06杂化泛函矫正了带隙.所得晶格参数及体模量与先前文献报道数据基本吻合.计算出了二阶弹性常数及德拜温度值,并给出了能带结构、态密度、差分电荷密度的分布情况.最后,为了阐明CeO2的光学跃迁机制,计算并分析了其复介电常数、折射率、吸附光谱、反射光谱等光学性质.     

Bioactive ceramic coatings containing carbon nanotubes on metallic substrates by electrophoretic deposition

A range of potentially bioactive ceramic coatings, based on combinations of either hydroxyapatite (HA) or titanium oxide nanoparticles with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), have been deposited on metallic substrates, using electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Sol–gel derived, ultrafine HA powders (10–70 nm) were dispersed in multi-wall nanotube-containing ethanol suspensions maintained at pH = ∼3.5 and successfully coated onto Ti alloy wires at 20 V for 1–3 min For TiO₂/CNT coatings, commercially available titania nanopowders and surface-treated CNTs in aqueous suspensions were co-deposited on stainless steel planar substrates. A field strength of 20 V/cm and deposition time of 4 min were used working at pH = 5. Although the co-deposition mechanism was not investigated in detail, the evidence suggests that co-deposition occurs due to the opposite signs of the surface charges (zeta potentials) of the particles, at the working pH. Electrostatic attraction between CNTs and TiO₂ particles leads to the creation of composite particles in suspension, consisting of TiO₂ particles homogenously attached onto the surface of individual CNTs. Under the applied electric field, these net negatively charged “composite TiO₂/CNT” elements migrate to and deposit on the anode (working electrode). The process of EPD at constant voltage conditions was optimised in both systems to achieve homogeneous and reasonably adhered deposits of varying thicknesses on the metallic substrates_.     

Power·delay product in COSMOS logic circuits

In this simulation work, we use COSMOS logic devices—a novel single gate CMOS architecture recently announced [1]—in multi-input logic gates, assessing its performance in terms of power·delay product. We consider three different multi-input logic circuits: a two-input NOR gate, a three-input NOR gate, and a three-input composite NOR/NAND (NORAND) gate. For this power·delay analysis, the transient TCAD simulations are employed in a mixed-mode approach where circuit and device simulations are coupled together, culminating in the delay response of the circuits as well as the static/dynamic current components. The analysis shows that all circuits, except the 3-input NOR gate, has acceptable characteristics at low-power applications and static leakage limits all COSMOS circuits at high-bias conditions.     

Dynamic soil–structure interaction analysis of layered unbounded media via a coupled finite element/boundary element/scaled boundary finite element model

In this paper, a coupled model based on finite element method (FEM), boundary element method (BEM) and scaled boundary FEM (SBFEM) (also referred to as the consistent infinitesimal finite element cell method) for dynamic response of 2D structures resting on layered soil media is presented. The SBFEM proposed by Wolf and Song (Finite‐element Modelling of Unbounded Media. Wiley: England, 1996) and BEM are used for modelling the dynamic response of the unbounded media (far‐field). The standard FEM is used for modelling the finite region (near‐field) and the structure. In SBFEM, which is a semi‐analytical technique, the radiation condition at infinity is satisfied exactly without requiring the fundamental solution. This method, also eliminates the need for the discretization of interfaces between different layers. In both SBFEM and BEM, the spatial dimension is decreased by one. The objective of the development of this coupled model is to combine advantages of above‐mentioned three numerical models to solve various soil–structure interaction (SSI) problems efficiently and effectively. These three methods are coupled (FE–BE–SBFEM) via substructuring method, and a computer programme is developed for the harmonic analyses of SSI systems. The coupled model is established in such a way that, depending upon the problem and far‐field properties, one can choose BEM and/or SBFEM in modelling related far‐field region(s). Thus, BEM and/or SBFEM can be used efficiently in modelling the far‐field. The proposed model is applied to investigate dynamic response of rigid and elastic structures resting on layered soil media. To assess the proposed SSI model, several problems existing in the literature are chosen and analysed. The results of the proposed model agree with the results presented in the literature for the chosen problems. The advantages of the model are demonstrated through these comparisons. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of Clay Particle Surfaces for Contaminant Sorption in Soil Barriers Using Flow Microcalorimetry

Clays such as kaolinite and bentonite are widely used in various industries as sorbents. The sorptive characteristics of clays are exploited when they are used in contaminant barrier systems. To use clays effectively, their surface characteristics need to be known; especially, when they are used for contaminant sorption. Available surface area of clay minerals and the characteristics that depend on it are very sensitive to environmental changes such as those that can be induced by changes in the composition of pore fluid. Flow microcalorimetry with a down-stream concentration was used to determine the heats and amounts of adsorption of acids and bases on the clays. Test results presented herein revealed that both kaolinite and bentonite exhibit significantly different adsorption isotherms and heat of wetting under high pH and low pH conditions. Kaolinite has the capacity to adsorb both acidic and basic molecules almost equally. However, it has a tendency to adsorb more base than acid because of its stronger complexation capacity with acids than with bases. On the other hand, bentonite has a tendency to adsorb more acidic than basic molecules per gram. These results also indicate that both kaolinite and bentonite have different heats of wetting characteristics. As the concentrations of the acids and bases increase, the heat of wetting of kaolinite decreases while that of bentonite increases.     

Tuning PI controllers for stable processes with specifications on gain and phase margins

In industrial practice, controller designs are performed based on an approximate model of the actual process. It is essential to design a control system which will exhibit a robust performance because the physical systems can vary with operating conditions and time. Gain and phase margins are well known parameters for evaluating the robustness of a control system. This paper presents a tuning algorithm to design and tune PI controllers for stable processes with a small dead time while meeting specified gain and phase margins. Simulation examples are given to demonstrate that the proposed design method can result, in a closed-loop system, in better performances than existing design methods which are also based on user-specified gain and phase margins.     

Influence of weak organic acids and salts on the denaturation characteristics of intramuscular connective tissue. A differential scanning calorimetry study

Intramuscular connective tissue obtained from Longissimus dorsi muscle of a 4-year-old beef carcass was treated with NaCl solutions of 2, 4, and 6% (w/v), and CaCl₂ solutions of 50, 100, and 150 mM, and citric and lactic acid solutions of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% for three different marinating periods (24, 46, and 72 h). Changes in denaturation characteristics were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and it was found that the denaturation onset temperature (T_o) and the denaturation peak temperature (T_p) increased as the NaCl concentration increased but decreased as the CaCl₂ concentration increased, irrespective of marinating time. Lactic and citric acid decreased T_o to about 39°C, from over 60°C breaking the structure of fibrils.     

Direct ethanol production from barley beta-glucan by sake yeast displaying Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase and endoglucanase

Three beta-glucosidase- and two endoglucanase-encoding genes were cloned from Aspergillus oryzae, and their gene products were displayed on the cell surface of the sake yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae GRI-117-UK. GRI-117-UK/pUDB7 displaying beta-glucosidase AO090009000356 showed the highest activity against various substrates and efficiently produced ethanol from cellobiose. On the other hand, GRI-117-UK/pUDCB displaying endoglucanase AO090010000314 efficiently degraded barley beta-glucan to glucose and smaller cellooligosaccharides. GRI-117-UK/pUDB7CB codisplaying both beta-glucosidase AO090009000356 and endoglucanase AO090010000314 was constructed. When direct ethanol fermentation from 20 g/l barley beta-glucan as a model substrate was performed with the codisplaying strain, the ethanol concentration reached 7.94 g/l after 24 h of fermentation. The conversion ratio of ethanol from beta-glucan was 69.6% of the theoretical ethanol concentration produced from 20 g/l barley beta-glucan. These results showed that sake yeast displaying A. oryzae cellulolytic enzymes can be used to produce ethanol from cellulosic materials. Our constructs have higher ethanol production potential than the laboratory constructs previously reported.