Geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves

This study explores the viability of fiberglass‐geopolymer composites as an intermediate temperature structural ceramic composite. E‐glass fibers are cheap, readily available, resistant to heat, electricity and chemical attack. Geopolymers are refractory and can be processed at room temperature. However, pure geopolymers have low tensile strength and fracture toughness, as is typical of ceramics. In this work, tensile and flexure properties of metakaolin‐based sodium and potassium geopolymers reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves were measured and the data was analyzed by Weibull statistics. The average tensile and flexural strengths for sodium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves were 39.3 ± 7.2 MPa and 25.6 ± 4.8 MPa, respectively. For potassium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves, the average tensile and flexural strengths were 40.7 ± 9.9 MPa and 15.9 ± 4.0 MPa, respectively. The composites were heat treated for one hour at two temperatures, 300°C and 550°C and their flexure properties were studied at room temperatures. The average flexural strengths for sodium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves were reduced to 6.6 ± 1.0 MPa after heat treatment at 300°C, and 1.2 ± 0.3 MPa after heat treatment at 550°C, respectively. For potassium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves, the average flexural strengths were 6.1 ± 1.5 MPa and 1.3 ± 0.3 MPa after heat treatment at 300°C and 550°C, respectively. SEM and EDS were performed to observe the fiber‐matrix interface. XRD was done to check if the geopolymer was amorphous as expected.     

Properties and Microstructure of Molybdenum Disilicide–β';-SiAlON Particulate Ceramic Composites

Particulate ceramic composites that were composed of a combustion-synthesized β';-SiAlON matrix and dispersed MoSi₂ particles were hot pressed at 1600°C in a nitrogen atmosphere. The physical and mechanical properties of the composites that contained 15, 30, and 45 vol% MoSi₂ were evaluated. The average four-point bend strength, fracture toughness, and Vickers hardness of the composites were in the ranges of 500-600 MPa, 3-4 MP·am^1/2, and 11-13 GPa, respectively. The measured mechanical strength and hardness were very similar to the values that were predicted from the rule of mixtures. The fracture toughness of the combustion-synthesized β';-SiAlON (2.5 MPa·m^1/2) was apparently enhanced by the MoSi₂ particles that were added. The increase in the fracture toughness was predominately attributed to the residual thermal stress that was induced by the thermal expansion mismatch between the MoSi₂ particles and the β';-SiAlON matrix. The composites showed improved electrical conductivity and oxidation resistance over monolithic β';-SiAlON. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy examination of the composites indicated that the MoSi₂ was chemically well compatible with the β';-SiAlON.     

Sodium silicate activated slag‐fly ash binders: Part I – Processing,microstructure, and mechanical properties

Alkali silicate activated slag and class F fly ash‐based binders are ambient curing, structural materials that are feasible replacements for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). They exhibit advantageous mechanical properties and less environmental impact than OPC. In this work, five sodium silicate activated slag‐fly ash binder mixtures were developed and their compressive and flexural strengths were studied as a function of curing temperature and time. It was found that the strongest mixture sets at ambient temperature and had a Weibull average flexural strength of 5.7 ± 1.5 MPa and Weibull average compressive strength of 60 ± 8 MPa at 28 days. While increasing the slag/fly ash ratio accelerated the strength development, the cure time was decreased due to the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H), calcium aluminum silicate hydrate (C–A–S–H), and (Ca,Na) based geopolymer. The density, microstructure, and phase evolution of ambient‐cured, heat‐cured, and heat‐treated binders were studied using pycnometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Heat‐cured binders were more dense than ambient‐cured binder. No new crystalline phases evolved through 28 days in ambient‐ or heat‐cured binders.     

In vitro assembly of an archaeal D-L-N RNA polymerase subunit complex reveals a eukaryote-like structural arrangement

Archaeal RNA polymerases (RNAPs) resemble the eukaryotic nuclear RNAPs in complexity, and many of their subunits display a high degree of sequence similarity to their eukaryotic counterparts. Here we describe specific protein-protein contacts present between individual recombinant RNAP subunits from the archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii. Subunits D and L interact specifically with each other in two-hybrid assays. D also interacts under the same conditions with the RPB11 and AC19 subunits from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suggesting that essential elements of the binding surface between these proteins have been conserved across the archaeal/eukaryotic evolutionary domain boundary. Interactions between L and RPB3 or AC40 were, however, not detectable. Recombinant D and L subunits associate under in vitro conditions and copurify with each other during size-exclusion chromatography. Addition of an another recombinant subunit (N) to the D-L complex results in the formation of a triple complex. This D-L-N complex resembles the RPB3-RPB11-RPB10 or AC40-AC19-RPB10 complexes in eukaryotic RNAPIIand RNAPI/RNAPIII, respectively. Our data provide evidence for a close similarity in the quaternary arrangement of a subset of archaeal and eukaryotic RNA polymerase subunits and the conservation of the protein-protein contacts formed between them.     

Efficient analysis of quasi-optical filters by a hybrid MoM/BI-RMEmethod

This paper presents a novel algorithm for the analysis of quasi-optical filters, consisting of thick metal screens perforated periodically with arbitrarily shaped apertures. The algorithm is based on the widely used method of moments (MoM) in conjunction with entire domain basis functions. Its flexibility, accuracy, and rapidity depend on the use of the boundary integral-resonant mode expansion (BI-RME) method in the numerical determination of the basis functions. A computer code has been developed based on this algorithm. The analysis of two different quasi-optical filters operating at 8 GHz and 280 GHz is reported and compared with experimental data as well as with other simulations. In both cases, the whole analysis requires few seconds on a standard workstation and the theoretical results show a very good agreement with the measured data in a wide frequency band. The capability of the MoM/BI-RME approach to handle completely arbitrary shapes is highlighted in the second example. In this case, in fact, the fabrication process causes small deformations of the nominal shape of the apertures, which must be accounted for, since they play an important role in the frequency response of the filter     

MUG Mel3 Cell Lines Reflect Heterogeneity in Melanoma and Represent a Robust Model for Melanoma in Pregnancy

Melanomas are aggressive tumors with a high metastatic potential and an increasing incidence rate. They are known for their heterogeneity and propensity to easily develop therapy-resistance. Nowadays they are one of the most common cancers diagnosed during pregnancy. Due to the difficulty in balancing maternal needs and foetal safety, melanoma is challenging to treat. The aim of this study was to provide a potential model system for the study of melanoma in pregnancy and to illustrate melanoma heterogeneity. For this purpose, a pigmented and a non-pigmented section of a lymph node metastasis from a pregnant patient were cultured under different conditions and characterized in detail. All four culture conditions exhibited different phenotypic, genotypic as well as tumorigenic properties, and resulted in four newly established melanoma cell lines. To address treatment issues, especially in pregnant patients, the effect of synthetic human lactoferricin-derived peptides was tested successfully. These new BRAF-mutated MUG Mel3 cell lines represent a valuable model in melanoma heterogeneity and melanoma pregnancy research. Furthermore, treatment with anti-tumor peptides offers an alternative to conventionally used therapeutic options—especially during pregnancy.     

Properties of Low‐substituted Cationic Starch Derivatives Prepared by Different Derivatisation Processes

Cationic starch ethers prepared by the chemical reaction of starch with a quaternary ammonium reagent are commercially important derivatives. Cationic potato starch derivatives were produced under pilot‐scale conditions, employing four different principles. Wet cationisation was carried out by the slurry and paste processes, in which the cationic reagent and catalyst are added to the starch. Besides being prepared by these more commonly used processes, cationic starches were also produced by dry cationisation and by adding the cationic reagent during extrusion of starch. The cationic reagent used was 2,3‐epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride. Derivatives with three graded degrees of substitution (DS) between 0.03 and 0.12 were prepared by each process. The physical properties of the derivatives were analysed by the following methods: polarised light microscopy, X‐ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), solubility and swelling behaviour, and High‐Performance Size‐Exclusion Chromatography‐Multiangle Laser Light Scattering (HPSEC‐MALLS). The degree of substitution was determined by high resolution ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy after hydrolysis with trifluoroacetic acid. The properties of the cationic starch derivatives were highly dependent on the derivatisation method. The granular structure of the starch was not visibly affected by the slurry process. Products from the semi‐dry reaction showed some granular damage, which was particularly evident after suspension of the granules in water. In the paste and extrusion processes, the starch granules were completely destroyed. Swelling temperatures and enthalpies can be determined only for starch derivatives that still retain a granular structure. As a result, samples from the paste and extrusion reactions exhibited no swelling endotherm in DSC. The samples from the slurry process showed a shift in the swelling temperature range towards lower temperature and a decrease in swelling enthalpy both as compared to native potato starch and also with increasing DS. Similar behaviour was found for the samples from the semi‐dry process. The swelling temperature region was comparable to that of the slurry samples for the same DS but the swelling enthalpy was distinctly lower, indicating that the granular structure of the starch was altered far more by the semi‐dry than the slurry process. Swelling in excess water and solubility were affected primarily by the cationisation process, while the influence of DS was of minor importance. The extrusion products had pronounced cold‐water solubility, the semi‐dry products showed increasing cold‐water solubility with increasing DS, the paste products were highly swollen in cold water and the slurry products were insoluble in cold water. All products were soluble in hot water but the state of dissolution was different. The molar mass distributions of the samples were determined after dissolution by pressure cooking. The different derivatisation methods resulted in characteristic molar mass distributions. The average molar mass decreased in the order slurry, semi‐dry‐, paste and extrusion process.     

Thermal Expansion of HfO2 and ZrO2

The thermal expansion of a low symmetry crystal can be much more interesting than the lattice parameter expansion would suggest. Here, the complete thermal expansion tensors for monoclinic and tetragonal phases of ZrO₂ and HfO₂ have been measured in air, by high‐resolution, high‐temperature X‐ray diffraction. These results reveal the highly anisotropic nature of thermal expansion in the monoclinic phase as well as a cooperative movement of ions and the existence of a zero thermal expansion plane.     

Rheological assessment of metakaolin-based geopolymer composites through squeeze flow

Geopolymer (GP) composites show great potential as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in construction material, extrusion-based, and additive manufacturing. The rheological properties of highly viscous and reinforced systems have not yet been well studied, due to limitations in the current state of the art rheometers and viscometers, such as size and torque limits. In this study, the basic rheological properties of highly reinforced, geopolymer composites with potential for 3D printing are innovatively investigated with “squeeze flow” and “flow table” tests commonly used in civil engineering. Squeeze-flow rates of 0.1, 1.0, and 3.0 mm/s were assessed with varying sand weight percentages or basalt fiber lengths and compared to a conventional OPC mixture to differentiate the flow properties and deformation resistance of both materials. It is shown that the deformation resistance as a result of jamming increases with increasing solid reinforcement percentages, but that the overall effect of fiber size is somewhat inconclusive. In addition, the effect of squeeze-flow rate exhibits an increase in load required to initiate flow at lower squeezing rates, but, upon reaching a certain ratio of solids to liquid in the matrix, the results become variable.