Preparation of Semiconducting Titanates by Chemical Methods

Semiconducting barium titanate has been prepared both by coprecipitating the lanthanum in the preparation of barium titanyl oxalate and by precipitation of lanthanum hydroxide in a slurry of the titanate. Partial substitution of strontium or lead for barium and zirconium for titanium has also been achieved using this oxalate process. The electrical conductivity of these materials was measured and is discussed. The effect of excess titanium on the electrical properties was also determined and an excess of 1 to 2 mole % was found to raise the positive temperature coefficient under the firing conditions employed.     

Sintering of MgF2-LiF Solid Solutions

The influence of additions of 0, 2, 3.5, and 5% LiF on the sintering kinetics of MgF₂ were studied using microcylindrical samples on a hot-stage microscope. The sintering rate of MgF₂ was markedly enhanced, doubling at 650°C when the LiF was increased from 3.5 to 5 mol%. An approximate model is suggested explaining the observed sintering enhancement based on the increased concentration of fluorine ion vacancies.     

Study of Some Phenomena Associated with the Adherence of Sheet Iron Ground Coats

Cobalt and nickel are deposited on the surface of the base metal during the firing of sheet iron ground coats. These deposits, which are metallic in nature, at least at higher firing temperatures, increase with increasing firing temperature. They also increase with the amount of cobalt and nickel present in any one frit and with the fluidity of the enamel. One reason why cobalt is generally considered a better adherence agent than nickel is that cobalt has a greater tendency to deposit during firing. Ground-coat adherence is generally associated with a certain amount of deposition of cobalt and nickel on the metal surface. This deposition in turn is associated with a roughening of the metal surface which is believed to be a large contributory factor in enamel adherence.     

Characterization of Interfacial Reactions Between β-Al2O3 and Y2O3-Partially-Stabilized ZrO2

The interfacial reaction between Y₂O₃-partially-stabilized ZrO₂ and α-Al₂O₃ was studied. It was noted that α-Al₂O₃ forms inside the periphery of the β-Al₂O₃ grains; its formation suggests the loss of Na₂O from the p-Al₂O₃, either by evaporation or by dissolution in the ZrO₂ matrix. The presence of Na₂ZrO₃ is suspected.     

BUILDING DESIGN USING FEEDFORWARD NON-SERIAL DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING

Dynamic programming is proving to be an important optimization technique used in building design. There are many design problems which prima facie do not fit the rigorous serial structure of dynamic programming. This paper describes a procedure for the solution of that class of nonserial dynamic programs which contains feedforward loops which do not intersect. The procedure condenses the various independent paths between stages by absorbing them to produce an equivalent serial structure. The method is demonstrated by solving a problem which can readily be solved by serial dynamic programming upon suitable reformulation. It is then used to design the floor-ceiling sandwich of a multi-storey building, a problem formulated with nested feedforward loops.     

Influence of added lyophilized butter serum on the heat stability of unconcentrated and concentrated bovine milk

The influence of added lyophilized butter serum on the heat stability of milk was investigated. The addition of lyophilized serum from salted butter to unconcentrated skimmed milk (SM) reduced the heat coagulation time (HCT) at, and increased the pH of, the maximum in the pH–HCT profile and caused disappearance of the minimum. NaCl had similar effects on the heat stability of SM as lyophilized salted butter serum, whereas lyophilized serum from unsalted butter had little effect. The addition of lyophilized salted butter serum to concentrated skimmed milk (CSM) also shifted the pH of maximum heat stability to a higher value and, at certain concentrations, increased the maximum HCT; similar effects were obtained on addition of NaCl, but lyophilized serum from unsalted butter had little effect. These results suggest that the effects of lyophilized serum from salted butter on the heat stability of SM or CSM are due primarily to the presence of a high level of NaCl in this serum.     

Thermal Decomposition of Oxalates of Ammonium and Potassium

The thermal decomposition of oxalates of ammonium and potassium was studied by simultaneous TGA, DTA, and EGA (effluent gas analysis). Of the simple oxalates, the potassium compound is more stable than the lithium compound, as has been observed for the corresponding carbonates and sulfates. Ammonium oxalate is much less stable than either of the alkali metal oxalates. Potassium titanyl oxalate is less stable than potassium oxalate, and ammonium titanyl oxalate is more stable than ammonium oxalate.     

HEAT INACTIVATION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI 0157:H7 IN APPLE CIDER IN THE PRESENCE OF GLYCEROL MONOLAURATE AND A SYNTHETIC ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDE, PR-26

The effect of moderate temperatures in combination with glycerol monolaurate and an antimicrobial peptide, PR-26 on E. coli 0157:H7 in apple cider was determined. A five-strain mixture of E. coli 0157:H7 was inoculated into apple cider (pH 3.53) containing 0.01% PR-26 or 0.02% glycerol monolaurate or a combination of 0.01% PR-26 and 0.02% glycerol monolaurate. The apple cider was incubated at 40, 45 or 50C for 30 s, 5 min, 10 min, and 15 min. At each of the specified time intervals, the surviving population of E. coli 0157:H7 was determined. At all the three temperatures, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the E. coli 0157:H7 populations of the control and the treatment containing PR-26. However, the treatments containing glycerol monolaurate alone or combination of glycerol monolaurate and PR-26 resulted in significant reductions (P < 0.05) in E. coli 0157:H7 counts. Results indicate that addition of glycerol monolaurate (0.02%) to apple cider and heating at 50C for 5 min can reduce E. coli 0157:H7 by 5.0 log CFU/mL.