Design and Properties of Thermal Barrier Coatings for advanced turbine engines

The efficiency and performance of advanced aircraft turbines can be markedly increased if higher gas temperatures are used. Although the highly loaded blades and vanes in the high pressure turbine are heavily cooled, today's substrate materials are unable to provide sufficient strength in the temperature range up to 1500°C and above. If thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are applied on superalloy turbine blades a substantial temperature drop of the parts can be achieved. The resulting increase in efficiency comes from reduced cooling and/or increased gas turbine inlet temperatures of up to 150°C. TBCs are either processed by plasma spraying (PS) or electron beam physical vapour deposition (EB-PVD). While PS is lower in cost EB-PVD leads to superior strain and thermoshock tolerant coatings. Furthermore, cooling hole closure of turbine blades and vanes is prevented and aerodynamic design maintained. Finally, future research and development needs in TBC technology are stressed.     

Validation of the thermomechanical microstructural model for closed-die forging

The objective of the paper is the assessment of the predictive ability of the thermomechanical-microstructural model for the closed-die forging process. The model combines the rigid-plastic flow formulation with the finite element solution of the Fourier equation with the closed-form equations describing processes of recrystallization and grain growth. Experimental validation of the mechanical and thermal components of the model is presented in earlier publications; present work focuses on the microstructural part. Experiment includes closed-die forging of the carbon-manganese steel samples and the measurements of the grain size on the cross-sections of the forgings after the deformation. Spherical samples, which involve significant inhomogeneity of the strain and the temperature fields, have been chosen for a presentation of the results.     

Picoliter rheology of gaseous media using a rotating optically trapped birefringent microparticle

An optically trapped birefringent microparticle is rotated by a circularly polarized beam in a confined gaseous medium. By recording the terminal rotation velocity and the change in polarization of the incident trapping beam, we determine the viscosity by probing a picoliter volume of air, carbon dioxide, and argon in the vicinity of the microparticle. We also characterize the optical force acting on a trapped particle in air using the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory taking into account the aberrations present. This opens up a new potential application of optical tweezers for the accurate measurement of gas viscosity in confined geometries.     

Rapeseed protein polyanion interactions —Turbidimetric studies in systems with phosphate-containing polyanions: phytic acid and octametaphosphate

The interaction of two main protein fractions of rapeseed —the 12 S globulin and the low-molecular albumin fraction —with two phosphate-containing polyanions —phytic acid and octametaphosphate (OMP) —has been studied using turbidimetric titration and chemical analysis after precipitation. Both proteins form insoluble complexes with the polyanions below the isoelectric point. The globulin is precipitated quantitatively by both polyanions at pH 3.0. A precipitation of more than 90% of the albumin occurs by OMP, while phytic acid precipitates only 80% of this protein at pH 3.0. Increasing amounts of polyanions over the precipitation points result in a partial solubilization of albumin-polyanion complexes. The amount of polyanions bound to the proteins increases with decreasing pH. A (1:1)-stoichiometry of phytic acid binding on the globulin has been found at pH 3.0, while the ratio of phosphate groups of OMP to basic groups of globulin is only 8.0. The maximum binding of both anions at the precipitation point amounts to 0.8 mol phosphate per mol basic groups of albumin with both polyanions at pH 3.0 using turbidimetry. An excess binding of polyanions to the globulin has been found with phytic acid at pH < 3.0 and with OMP at pH 3.0 after increasing the amount of OMP over the precipitation point.     

Silver uptake byAgaricus bisporus from an artificially enriched substrate

The champignon mushroomAgaricus bisporus was cultivated on compost (wheat and rye straw, hens' manure, gypsum, urea and peat) artificially fortified with silver nitrate added at four different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.3 mg/kg) and 0 mg/kg (control) on a dry weight basis. The method of measurement was flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry after dry ashing of the samples at 420° C and dissolving the residue in 1M nitric acid. The highest concentration of silver, reaching between 120±30–150±36 mg/kg on a dry weight basis, was observed in fruit bodies grown on the most contaminated substrate containing 10.3 mg added Ag/kg dry weight. The silver concentration in caps/stalks/whole fruit bodies ofA. bisporus was positively correlated (r=0.72; P<0.001) with an increasing level of fortification of the substrate. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) of silver in caps/stalks/whole fruit bodies ofA. bisporus was inversely correlated (–0.44bisporus.

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Silberaufnahme von Champignons (Agaricus bisporus) aus künstlich angereichertem Substrat

Zusammenfassung Champignons (Agaricus bisporus) wurden auf Kompost (Weizen- und Roggenstroh, Hühnerdung, Gips, Harnstoff und Torf) gezüchtet, welcher künstlich mit Silbernitrat in vier verschiedenen Mengen-0 (Kontrolle), 0,01, 0,1, 1,0 und 10,3 mg/kg-Trockenmasse angereichert wurde. Als Meßmethode wurde die Flammen AAS verwendet nach dem trockenen Veraschen der Proben bei 420 °C und Auflösen des Rückstandes in 1 M Salpetersäure.Die größte Silberkonzentration von 12±4–14±3 mg/kg Feuchtmasse und 120±30–150±36 mg/kg Trockenmasse wurde in den Fruchtkörpern festgestellt, die auf einem 10,3 mg Ag/kg Trockenmasse enthaltendem Substrat gewachsen sind. Die Silberkonzentration in allen Teilen des Fruchtkörpers hat positiv (r=0,72; p<0,001) mit steigendem Niveau der Substratanreicherung korreliert. Der Biokonzentrationskoeffizient (BCF) von Silber in den Pilzhüten, Strünken und ganzen Fruchtkörpern zeigte eine negative Korrelation (–0,44     

Influence of nanostructure on titanium corrosion resistance in fluoridated medium

ABSTRACT

Nanocrystalline titanium, mainly owing to its high corrosion resistance, mechanical strength to density ratio and biocompatibility, has a great application potential in dental implantology. However, fluoridated agents commonly used for oral hygiene could have a destructive influence on the titanium protective passive films and lead to the formation of local corrosion damages. In this work, the effect of nanostructuring on titanium corrosion resistance in the concentration of F^? which is typical for toothpastes, was evaluated by different electrochemical and surface characterisation techniques. It was found that nanostructure influences beneficially on titanium corrosion resistance in fluoride solution. Furthermore, the lower increase in nanocrystalline titanium surface roughness in corrosion solutions indicates better stability of passive film formed on its surface.

This paper is part of a thematic issue on Titanium.     

A new F-score gradient-based training rule for the linear model

Pattern Analysis and Applications - Delta rule is a standard, well-established approach to train perceptron recognition model. However, mean squared error, on which it is based, is not suitable...     

Magnetic Particles with Polymeric Shells Bearing Cholesterol Moieties Sensitize Breast Cancer Cells to Low Doses of Doxorubicin

One of the promising strategies for improvement of cancer treatment is application of a combination therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity of nanoformulations containing doxorubicin and iron oxide particles covered with polymeric shells bearing cholesterol moieties. It was postulated that due to high affinity to cell membranes, particles comprising poly(cholesteryl acrylate) can sensitize cancer cells to doxorubicin chemotherapy. The performed analyses revealed that the developed systems are effective against the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 even at low doses of the active compound applied (0.5 µM). Additionally, high compatibility and lack of toxicity of the tested materials against human red blood cells, immune (monocytic THP-1) cells, and cardiomyocyte H9C2(2-1) cells was demonstrated. Synergistic effects observed upon administration of doxorubicin with polymer–iron oxide hybrids comprising poly(cholesteryl acrylate) may provide an opportunity to limit toxicity of the drug and to improve its therapeutic efficiency at the same time.     

Effect of fermentation conditions on the antioxidant compounds and antioxidant capacity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus angustifolius cv. zapaton</Emphasis>

To study the effect of fermentation on the antioxidant compounds and antioxidant capacity of Lupinus angustifolious cv. zapaton, two different types of fermentation processes were performed. Solid-state fermentations in cracked seeds carried out by Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis and liquid state fermentations in flour and cracked seeds carried out by the microbial population present in the seed (natural fermentation) or by L. plantarum inocula. Antioxidant compounds that were quantified included vitamin C by micellar electrokinetic capillary electrophoresis, vitamin E isomers by high performance liquid chromatography, total phenolic compounds (TPC) by spectrophotometry and reduced glutathione (GSH) by spectrofluorimetry. The antioxidant capacity was analysed by determining the superoxide dismutase-like activity (SOD-like activity), Peroxyl Radical-Trapping Capacity (PRTC) and Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) and by in vitro methods using unilamellar liposomes of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC). In general, fermentation process produced a reduction in vitamin C, vitamin E activity, GSH and SOD-like activity, however TPC, PRTC, TEAC and inhibition of PC peroxidation increased under most of the fermentation conditions. Optimal results to obtain functional lupin products were achieved in cracked seeds fermented with B. subtilis where increases in TPC content, PRTC, inhibition of PC peroxidation and TEAC content of 490, 669, 492 and 224%, respectively, were found. Also, fermentation carried out with L. plantarum in lupin flours and naturally in cracked seeds caused smaller, although significant (P ≤ 0.05) increases in TPC, PRTC, inhibition of PC and TEAC (80–148, 50–90, 23 and 45–65%, respectively).