The growth of ambient aerosols in the conditions of the respiratory system

The effect on ambient aerosols of exposure to the conditions of the respiratory system was determined by sampling simultaneously through two dichotomous samplers in parallel. In one of the samplers the aerosol was brought to 37°C and near 100% relative humidity before passing through the virtual impactor. The results show that, as a result of humidification, about 10–15% by mass of the aerosol which would normally been collected in the fine (less than 2.5 μm aerodynamic diameter) fraction of the sample grows sufficiently when humidified to be collected with the coarse fraction. It is suggested that the direct application to inhalation studies of dichotomous sampler results should be approached with some caution.     

Unsaturated polyesters. II. Structure and properties of polyester resins based on cinnamylsuccinic acid

Unsaturated Polyester resins were prepared by the reaction of cinnamylsuccinic acid with saturated diols, namely, ethylene, diethylene, propylene, dipropylene, tetramethylene, and hexamethylene glycols, and the unsaturated diols, namely, 1,4-butene- and 1,4-butynediols. All the polyester resins obtained have been characterized and were found to cure with styrene, with relatively low conversions. The properties of the cured polyesters in the form of films were determined. IR and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy were used for both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the polyesters and their hydrolyzate products, after curing with styrene.     

Experimental Procedure for Determining Transport Properties of Oxide Scales

To determine the transport properties of oxide scales growing on an alloy, a laboratory apparatus was developed which allows plotting of characteristic V = f (i) curves and oxidation with an applied electric field. The apparatus and formalism used are described; it appears that such experimental procedures allow determination of the mean ionic transport number, ti; the conductivity values σ, σ_i, and σ,_e; and the effective charge, Z*, of the moving species in the oxide scale (A1₂O₃ in the present case).     

Preparation of vanadyl porphyrin complexes from a metal-porphyrin petroleum concentrate and study of their catalytic activity

A mixture of vanadyl porphyrin complexes was obtained from a metal-porphyrin concentrate (MPC) isolated from crude petroleum by selective extraction. The petroleum MPC was subjected to demetallization and the subsequent introduction of the vanadyl cation into the porphyrin ring. It was shown that the mixture of vanadyl-porphyrin complexes obtained from MPC catalyzes the cyclohexene epoxidation reaction. On the basis of experimental data, it was assumed that the mechanism of olefin oxygenation in the presence of vanadyl porphyrin complexes is similar to the mechanism of the Prilezhaev epoxidation reaction of unsaturated compounds.     

Nanolayered lightweight flexible shields with multidirectional optical transparency

New nanolayered coatings are designed and deposited on flexible plastic substrate having the thickness of 100 /spl mu/m, in order to realize lightweight ultrathin transparent shielding foils. The structure of the coating is optimized considering three figures of merit: the average transmittance in the visible range for normal incidence, the normalized average transmittance for oblique incidence at 550 nm, and the transmittance quality factor. The nanotechnology exploited for the deposition of the transparent metals is the dual ion beam sputtering. Tests of durability, optical transmission, and shielding effectiveness demonstrate that the film has a high adhesion under mechanical solicitation, high resistance against aging, peak transmittance in the visible range higher than 70%, omnidirectional properties in the range 0/spl deg/-60/spl deg/, and shielding effectiveness of 40 dB up to 6 GHz.     

The impacts of a GTL plant on Brazil's oil products supply and refinery expansion

This paper assesses the impacts of a GTL plant on the expansion of Brazil's oil refining segment. The GTL plant (50,000 bpd) was sized to start up operations in 2015, producing diesel and naphtha through the indirect route (FT-synthesis). This plant will consume the non-associated natural gas production from the recent discoveries at the Santos Basin (around 419 Bm³), and the associated gas production from the Campos Basin. Both basins are located in the Southeast of Brazil, the most populated, rich and industrialized region of the country. Two different criteria for refinery expansion were simulated in order to meet oil product demand scenarios. Findings show that depending on the refinery expansion criteria considered GTL will play a fundamental hole to meet the oil product demand forecast to Brazil in the next 10 years.     

Transparent monolithic zirconia gels: effects of acetylacetone content on gelation

Transparent yttria-stabilized zirconia monolithic gels were synthesized under controlled conditions for hydrolysis and chemical polymerization. The influence of acetylacetone on the previous chemical reactions was explored, and a plausible explanation was proposed concerning the outstanding role of this additive during the gelation process. Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to estimate the size of the polymeric species and to investigate the influence of acetylacetone on the structure of the gels prepared.