Microstructural and compositional aspects of ZnO-based varistor ceramics prepared by direct mixing of the constituent phases and high-energy milling

ZnO-based varistor samples were prepared by the direct mixing of the constituent phases (DMCP) and sintering at 1100 °C for 2 h. The influence of the starting powder mixture's composition – the amounts of the pre-reacted varistor compounds and their composition – and its preparation, either with or without mechano-chemical activation (MCA), on the microstructure, phase composition and electrical characteristics of the varistor samples was studied. It showed that MCA improved the density and microstructural homogeneity of the varistor samples. MCA strongly affected the grain growth: it enhanced the nucleation of inversion boundaries (IBs) in the ZnO grains and the IBs-induced grain-growth mechanism resulted in uniform grain growth and hence a microstructure with smaller ZnO grains and a narrower grain size distribution. The final phase composition of the samples prepared by the DMCP method mainly depended on the presence of varistor dopants that can prevent the formation of the pyrochlore phase, especially Cr₂O₃, while MCA can affect it mostly by providing a homogeneous distribution of those dopants. The DMCP varistor samples prepared with MCA had much better current–voltage characteristics than the samples of the same composition prepared from unactivated powders.     

An approach to efficient business intelligent system for financial prediction

A concept of business intelligent system for financial prediction is considered in this paper. It provides data needed for fast, precise and good business decision support to all levels of management. The aim of the project is the development of a new online analytical processing oriented on case-based reasoning (CBR) where a previous experience for every new problem is taken into account. Methodological aspects have been tested in practice as a part of the management information system development project of “Novi Sad Fair”. A case study of an improved application of CBR in prediction of future payments is discussed in the paper. This paper is originally presented at The International Conference on Hybrid Information Technology 2006, at the special session on “Intelligent Information Systems for Financial Engineering”, November 2006 in Cheju Island, Korea.     

Residual fracture energy of high-performance and normal concrete subject to high temperatures

Test data on the residual fracture energy of two significantly different concrete types are presented. About 80 beams of high performance basalt concrete and ordinary gravel concrete have been tested in accordance with the RILEM work of fracture method. The beams are heated at 1°C per minute up to a certain maximum temperature and kept at this temperature for 8 hours before cooling them back to room temperature and testing in three-point bending. The tests show that the two concretes behave almost identifical when the fracture energyG _F is considered as a function of maximum temperature. It is found that the damage introduced by a maximum temperature of 300 to 400°C increases the fracture energy by 50% compared with the reference tests at room temperature. A more tortuous crack surface is one plausible explanation for the significant increase inG _F. The article also presents temperature and weight loss recordings from the heating scenarios and finally, the characteristic length and the cohesive tensile softening curve are shown to depend on the maximum temperature. Basically it is demonstrated that the temperature exposure makes the concrete significantly more ductile.

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Résumé Des données sur l'énergie résiduelle de rupture de deux bétons différents sont présentées. Environ 80 poutres de béton à base de basalte de très haute performance et de béton à base de gravier ordinaire ont été examinées conformément au travaux de la RILEM sur l'énergie de rupture. Les poutres sont chauffées à 1°C par minute jusqu'à une température maximale, puis maintenues à cette température pendant 8 heures avant d'être refroidies de nouveau à la température ambiante. Les poutres sont ensuite testées en flexion (système de flexion en trois points). Les essais prouvent que les deux bétons se comportent d'une manière presque identique quandG _F est considéré comme une fonction de la température maximale. On peut aussi constater que le dommage occasionné par une température maximale de 300 à 400°C augmente l'énergie de rupture de 50% par comparaison aux essais de référence réalisés à la température ambiante. Une surface de rupture plus tortueuse semble être une explication plausible pour l'augmentation significative deG _F. L'article présente également les évolutions de la température et de la perte de poids pour les scénarios de chauffage utilisés. En conclusion, cette étude montre que la longueur caractéristique et la courbe de post pic dépendent de la température maximale. Fondamentalement cela démontre que l'exposition à la température rend le béton sensiblement plus ductile.

     

Changes in polymer foils used in food packaging tested by using differential scanning calorimetry

This work is an experimental study of the differential scanning calorimetry characterisation of polymer materials used in food packaging materials, such as polypropylene (0.03 mm), polyethylene (0.1 and 0.03 mm), poly(D-(-)-Β-hydroxybutyrate) (powder), two-layered polypropylene (0.064 mm), and two-layered polypropylene with poly-vinylidene-chloride (0.012/0.021). The polymer stability was checked by simulation of conditions during food preparation in microwave ovens, sterilisation or rapid freezing. The materials were tested in the temperature range from 40 to 200‡C at different scan rates from 2 to 30°C min⁻¹ during heating or cooling. The enthalpies show a high correlation coefficient (0.964) with scan rate. All samples undergo phase change in the temperature range from 107 to 173°C during heating and enthalpies are in the range from 31.8 to 71.1Jg⁻¹. Upon subsequent cooling from 200°C, the temperature range of phase changes is shifted to lower temperatures from 86 to 102°C with enthalpies ranging from 30.4 to 57.8 J g⁻¹. Experiments with exposure of polymers to microwave radiation and freezing prove that the phase change considering the temperature range is very similar in all experiments.     

Vortices in anisotropic type-II superconductors

We present a generalized variational model of an isolated vortex, valid in the anisotropic case when the external magnetic field is along one of the symmetry directions. We discuss the effects of the field anisotropy on the core and magnetic pinning of individual vortices.     

Preparation and evaluation of slow-release pan-coated indomethacin granules

Granules containing indomethacin crystals are coated with Eudragit solutions of different RL/RS ratios using a pan coating technique. The process is reproducible with regard to drug content, inexpensive and the formed granules were directly compressed into tablets. In vitro release of indomethacin from coated granules, tablets and capsules was studied as a function of different ratios of Eudragit RL/RS in the coating solution. The release of the drug was significantly reduced by the coating process in comparison with a formulation made from uncoated granules, prepared using 10 per cent gelatin solution as a binder. Release data were found to follow a diffusion-controlled model.     

How to Control Robots Interacting with Dynamic Environment

The goal of this paper is to shed light on the control problem of constrained robot motion from the aspect of the dynamical nature of the environment with which the robot is in contact. Therefore, the criticism of traditional hybrid control which allows position/force feedback loops to split into independent control with respect to position and force, is not the main point we want to make. Reference to the papers written by the founders of hybrid control and their numerous followers served only to better understand the reason and motivation for suggesting a different approach to control of robots interacting with environment.The paper has a predominantly review character, based on recently published work. It also contains some new, unpublished results in the framework of the unified approach to the position/force control of robots, proposed by the present author and his co-workers. By pointing to the possibility of introducing an environment dynamics in the contact tasks of the machining type, the author emphasizes that the proposed dynamically interactive control can be applied to a completely different class of tasks, in which a contact is made between the system (constructions or structure) and very specific kinds of dynamic environments.     

Quantum phase transitions in 2D antiferromagnets

Quantum Monte Carlo results for the T = 0 order-disorder transition of two-dimensional dimerized quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnets are presented. For a two-layer model, with the dimers having one member on each plane, the finite-size scaling of the staggered structure factor and the staggered susceptibility is consistent with the 3D classical Heisenberg universality class, as required if the transition is described by the 2+1-dimensional non-linear sigma-model. However, for models with the dimers in a single plane, the behavior does not appear to be consistent with this universality class.     

Synthesis and characterization of radiation grafted copolymer for removal of nonionic organic contaminants

Nonionic organic contaminants such as phenol, benzene, and toluene from contaminated wastewater on laboratory scale can be effectively sorbed by cellulosic wood pulp sheet incorporated with three polar functional groups. The synthesis was carried out by graft copolymerization reaction of N,N‐dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate with methacrylic acid onto wood pulp. The preparation conditions at which the grafting process proceeds homogeneously are determined. Characterization and some selected properties of the original and grafted wood pulp were evaluated using FTIR and scanning electron microscope, also, the removal of phenol, benzene, and toluene on laboratory scale was investigated by using gas chromatography. It was found that phenol shows the highest removal percent than that of benzene and toluene. The efficiency of removal of the nonionic contaminants is found to be 97%, which shows a great promise for its applicability in the removal of organic contaminates from wastewater. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 3589–3595, 2006