Synthesis and characterization of a Zr‐containing silicate‐based epoxy‐functional polymer nanocomposite system

As a continuation of efforts to explore the potential of certain types of polymer nanocomposites to be successful candidates as dental restoration/adhesion materials, a Zr‐containing and organically modified silicate‐based material system with epoxy functionality was prepared by use of a sol–gel synthesis method, and UV light‐ and visible light (VL)‐curing processes. Comparative influences of the synthesis and processing parameters on the mechanical, thermal, and microstructural/nanostructural properties of the system were detailed. Zr‐containing species proved to more effectively catalyze the epoxy polymerization/crosslinking reactions than those containing Ti. Incorporation of Zr into the nanocomposite network led to significantly advanced mechanical properties. An elastic (Young's) modulus value of 23 MPa was achieved. The system with relatively high Zr content was successfully obtained, which also had higher thermal stability. Overall observations and results suggested that Zr content, and the UV light‐ or VL‐curing process could be capitalized on to modify the structure, and to improve the final properties of these material systems, which indicated a prospective opportunity for this material system to be utilized in dental restoration/adhesion applications. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:792–798, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Crossflow filtration of iron(III), copper(II), and cadmium(II) aqueous solutions with alginic acid/cellulose composite membranes

The removal of Fe(III), Cu(II), and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions was investigated with a crossflow filtration technique. Alginic acid (AA)/cellulose composite membranes were used for retention. In the filtration of Fe(III) solutions, the effects of the crossflow velocity, applied pressure, AA content of the membranes, and pH on the retention percentage and the permeate flux were examined. The maximum retention percentage was found to be 89% for a 1 × 10^?4M Fe(III) solution at the flow velocity of 100 mL/min and the pressure of 60 kPa with 0.50% (w/v) AA/cellulose composite membranes at pH 3. Aqueous solutions of Cu(II) and Cd(II) were filtered at the flow velocity of 100 mL/min and pressure of 10 kPa. The effects of the AA content of the membranes and pH of the waste medium on the retention percentage and the permeate flux were determined. For 1 × 10^?4M Cu(II) and Cd(II) solutions, the maximum retention percentages were found to be 94 and 75%, respectively, at pH 7 with 0.50% (w/v) AA/cellulose composite membranes. When metal‐ion mixtures were used, the retention percentages of Fe(III), Cu(II), and Cd(II) were found to be 89, 48, and 10%, respectively, at pH 3 with 0.50% (w/v) AA/cellulose composite membranes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

The Synthesis and Characterization of Melamine Based and [Fe/CrSalen] or [Fe/CrSalophen] Capped Polimer Schiff Base Complexes

In this study, by using previously reported monomer complexes [(2-(4-carboxybenzimino)-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine)(salen/salophenFeIII)], [(2-(4-carboxybenzimino)-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine)(salen/salophenCrIII)], [(2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzimino)-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine)(salen/salophenFeIII)] and [(2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzimino)-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine)(salen/salophenCrIII)] obtained by Uysal and Uçan (J Inc Phenom Macrocycl Chem, in press), sixteen new polimer Fe(III) and Cr(III) complexes involving tetradentate Schiff bases N,N′-bis (salicylidene)ethylenediamine-(salenH₂) or bis(salicylidene)-o-phenylenediamine-(salophenH₂) with 2-(4-carboxybenzimino)-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine or 2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzimino)-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine (Uysal and Uçan, J Inc Phenom Macrocycl Chem, in press) and terephthaldehyde or glutaraldehyde have been synthesized and characterized by means of elemental analysis, ¹H N.M.R., FT-IR spectrscopy, MS, thermal analyses and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The complexes have also been characterized as low-spin distorted octahedral Fe(III) and Cr(III) bridged by catechol and/or COO^? groups.     

Multifractal analysis of Mg-doped ZnO thin films deposited by sol–gel spin coating method

A multifractal analysis has been performed on the 3D (three-dimensional) surface microtexture of magnesium-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Mg) thin films with doping concentration of 0, 2, 4, and 5%. Thin films were deposited onto the glass substrates via the sol–gel spin coating method. The effect of magnesium doping, on the crystal structure, morphology, and band gap for ZnO:Mg thin films has been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV–Vis spectroscopy. It has been observed that the surface of ZnO thin films is multifractal in nature. However, multifractality and complexity observed to decrease with increasing content of Mg in ZnO thin films due to formation of islands on the surface in accordance with Volmer–Weber growth mechanism. The investigations revealed that crystallinity, microtexture, morphology, and optical properties of the thin films can be tuned by controlling the Mg content within the ZnO lattice. In particular, their optical band gap energies were 3.27, 3.31, 3.34, and 3.33 eV at 0, 2, 4, and 5%, respectively. The prepared thin films of ZnO:Mg with tuned characteristics would have promising applications in optoelectronic devices.     

Supervised fuzzy logic modeling for building earthquake hazard assessment

Building hazard assessment prior to earthquake occurrence exposes interesting problems especially in earthquake prone areas. Such an assessment provides an early warning system for building owners as well as the local and central administrators about the possible hazards that may occur in the next scenario earthquake event, and hence pre- and post-earthquake preparedness can be arranged according to a systematic program. For such an achievement, it is necessary to have efficient models for the prediction of hazard scale of each building within the study area. Although there are subjective intensity index methods for such evaluations, the objective of this paper is to propose a useful tool through fuzzy logic (FL) to classify the buildings that would be vulnerable to earthquake hazard. The FL is a soft computing intelligent reasoning methodology, which is rapid, simple and easily applicable with logical and rational association between the building-hazard categories and the most effective factors. In this paper, among the most important factors are the story number (building height), story height ratio, cantilever extension ratio, moment of inertia (stiffness), number of frames, column and shear wall area percentages. Their relationships with the five hazard categories are presented through a supervised hazard center classification method. These five categories are “none”, “slight”, “moderate”, “extensive”, and “complete” hazard classes. A new supervised FL classification methodology is proposed similar to the classical fuzzy c-means procedure for the allocation of hazard categories to individual buildings. The application of the methodology is presented for Zeytinburnu quarter of Istanbul City, Turkey. It is observed that out of 747 inventoried buildings 7.6%, 50.0%, 14.6%, 20.1%, and 7.7% are subject to expected earthquake with “none”, “slight”, “moderate”, “extensive”, and “complete” hazard classes, respectively.     

Properties of controlled low-strength materials incorporating cement kiln dust and slag

This research evaluated the potential use of cement kiln dust (CKD) together with slag to replace the use of cement in the production of controlled low-strength material (CLSM). The low strength requirements of CLSM compared to conventional concrete enable the use of industrial by-products for the production of CLSM. In this study, the workability-related fresh properties of CLSM mixtures were observed through slump flow diameter, V-funnel flow time and filling capacity. Setting times, temperature rise, air content and unit weight of CLSM mixtures were also determined as part of fresh properties. The hardened properties that were monitored for 28 days included the unconfined compressive strength. The test results presented herein show that a combination of less than 50 kg/m³ slag and up to 300 kg/m³ CKD provides a good mix that satisfies the requirements of a CLSM with similar or better properties to that of CKD-based CLSM mix containing Portland cement. Suitable CLSM mixtures with reasonable fresh and hardened properties could also be developed by using CKD alone. However, reduced strength in such CLSM mixtures may limit their field application. The slag significantly assisted in increasing compressive strength of CKD-based CLSM mixtures. A CLSM mix containing a combination of slag and CKD was shown to have excellent characteristics for flowable backfill and excavatable base material. Therefore, producing CKD/slag based CLSM through the use of co-generated products from the cement and iron manufacturing processes can provide leadership for the construction industry in the transition for sustainable development.     

Design and economic optimization of shell and tube heat exchangers using Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm

In this study, a new shell and tube heat exchanger optimization design approach is developed. Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) has been applied to minimize the total cost of the equipment including capital investment and the sum of discounted annual energy expenditures related to pumping of shell and tube heat exchanger by varying various design variables such as tube length, tube outer diameter, pitch size, baffle spacing, etc. Finally, the results are compared to those obtained by literature approaches. The obtained results indicate that Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm can be successfully applied for optimal design of shell and tube heat exchangers.     

Influence of pH on recombinant human growth hormone production by Pichia pastoris

BACKGROUND: Effect of pH on recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) production by Pichia pastoris hGH‐Mut⁺ was investigated at pH = 4.2, 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0. RESULTS: The highest cell concentration was obtained at pH = 6.0 with 53 g L^?1, while the highest rhGH concentration was attained at pH = 5.0 as 0.27 g L^?1. Total protease secretion increased with increase in pH and with the cultivation time. Oxygen uptake rate increased with increasing pH up to pH = 6.0, having the maximum value, 37 mmol m^?3 s^?1, at pH = 5.5. K_La values were similar at all the conditions, having a maximum value of 0.14 s^?1 at pH = 5.0. Taking the final rhGH concentration into account, the most favourable pH was 5.0; where AOX1 expression level showed a similar trend to AOX activity profiles, having the highest value of 9.4 × 10¹⁰ copy mg^?1 CDW at t = 15 h; in parallel to AOX1 expression profile, hGH expression level increased until t = 15 h, with the highest value of 4.0 × 10¹⁰ copy mg^?1 CDW, where a sharp increase in rhGH concentration was obtained. The expression levels of pep4, prb1 and prc1 genes, responsible from the production of proteinase A, proteinase B and, carboxypeptidase Y, were parallel to each other. CONCLUSION: Since it was shown that pH is a crucial operating parameter in fermentation processes using P. pastoris, keeping pH constant at its determined optimum value, pH = 5.0, during the bioprocess is vital in terms of recombinant protein production. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry