Biopolymers as sustainable metal bio-adhesives

We describe the use of biopolymers, such as sodium alginate, as an sustainable adhesive binder for several metals and high-density polyethylene. A standard pull test and peel test was performed with disks, made of different material and size. Adhesive failure was investigated by varying the amount of applied alginate solution, drying time, drying temperature, effect of surface area, and the nature of the adherend. Alginate adhesion was remarkably strong, relatively general, and sensitive to the presence of water. A brief comparison with other biopolymers is also provided.     

FINITE ELEMENT STUDY ON THE ROLE OF CONVECTION IN LASER SURFACE MELTING

The surface-tension-driven convection in laser melting has been simulated by the Galerkin finite element method. The governing laminar, axisymmelric convection equations are solved in a sequential manner by an explicit projection method. The numerical results show a strong dependence of the flow pattern on the value of the temperature coefficient of surface tension (σ_T). Results are presented for a range of σ_T values typical in steel, -l0^?4≤σ_T + l0^?4N/mK. As the melt depth is more affected than the width, the melt aspect ratio changes due to convection. The melt pool is broad and shallow when σ_T < 0, and deep and narrow when σ_T > 0.     

THE MEASUREMENT OF OXYGEN TRANSPORT PARAMETERS FOR ASPHALT/AGGREGATE AND ASPHALT/GLASS SYSTEMS USING AN ELECTRODYNAMIC BALANCE

A gravimetric method using an eledrodynamic balance was developed for the measurement of transport properties such as the diffusion coefficient, D, solubility, S, and permeability, P, for oxygen into thin layers of asphalt materials deposited on aggregate and glass particles. Glass spheres and aggregate particles in the 14 to 50 μm size range coated with asphalt materials (AAB1, AAG1, and AAK1) were suspended contactless in the balance to measure D, S, and P in the temperature range 21 to 61° C. Transport parameters were determined from the changes in the particle mass due to the uptake of oxygen by the asphalt coating on glass spheres and nonspherical aggregate particles.     

Determining the Mechanism of In-Service Cylinder Distortion in Aluminum Engine Blocks with Cast-In Gray Iron Liners

In recent years, stringent government legislation on vehicle fuel efficiency has pushed the automotive industry to replace steel and cast iron power train components with light weight Al alloys. However, unlike their ferrous-based equivalents, Al-Si alloy engine blocks are prone to permanent dimensional distortion in critical locations such as the cylinder bore regions. Understanding the mechanisms that cause distortion will promote the use of Al alloys over ferrous alloys for power train applications and enable automotive manufacturers to meet emission standards and reduce fuel consumption. In this study, neutron diffraction was used to evaluate residual stress along the Al cylinder bridge and the gray cast iron liners of distorted and undistorted engine blocks. Microstructural analysis was carried out using OM, SEM, and TEM, while mechanical testing was accomplished via ambient and elevated temperature [~453 K (180 °C)] tensile testing. The results suggest that the distorted engine block had high tensile residual stress in the Al cylinder bridge, reaching a maximum of 170 MPa in the hoop direction, which triggered permanent dimensional distortion in the cylinders when exposed to service conditions. In addition, the middle of the cylinder had the highest magnitude of distortion since this region had a combination of high tensile residual stress (hoop stress of 150 MPa) and reduced strength compared with the bottom of the cylinder.     

Time-utility function-driven switched Ethernet: packet scheduling algorithm, implementation, and feasibility analysis

We present a MAC-layer, soft real-time packet scheduling algorithm called UPA. UPA considers a message model where message packets have end-to-end timeliness requirements that are specified using Jensen's time-utility functions (TUFs). The algorithm seeks to maximize system-wide, aggregate packet utility. Since this scheduling problem is NP-hard, UPA heuristically computes schedules with a quadratic worst-case cost, faster than the previously best CMA algorithm. Our simulation studies show that UPA performs the same as or significantly better than CMA for a broad set of TUFs. Furthermore, we implement UPA and prototype a TUF-driven switched Ethernet system. The performance measurements of UPA from the implementation reveal its strong effectiveness. Finally, we derive timeliness feasibility conditions of TUF-driven switched Ethernet systems that use the UPA algorithm.     

GRAPES-3—A high-density air shower array for studies on the structure in the cosmic-ray energy spectrum near the knee

The change in the spectral index from about -2.7 to -3.1 at 3×10¹⁵ eV in the all-particle energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays is very significant for learning about the nature of cosmic sources of ultra-high energy particles and their acceleration and propagation in the galactic disk. Any observation of a fine structure in the spectrum would be important for improving our understanding of these physical processes. The GRAPES-3 air shower array has been designed to achieve higher precision in determination of various shower parameters to enable observation of any fine structure in the energy spectrum, if it exists. The details of the shower detectors, shower trigger and the data acquisition system are presented here along with estimates of trigger efficiencies from Monte Carlo simulations for primary photons (γ-rays) and several nuclei.     

Electrical switching in benzidine-DDQ under pressure

The effect of pressure on non-ohmic conduction and electrical switching in the charge transfer complex benzidine-DDQ has been studied up to a pressure of 7·66 GPa at a temperature of 300K. Pulsed I-V measurements reveal heating contribution to non-ohmicity and switching. At high electric fields (∼ 3 × 10³ V/cm), the sample switches from high resistance OFF state of several kiloohms to low resistance ON state of several ohms. Temperature dependence of conductivity of ON state show semiconducting behaviour with very low activation energy.