Properties of palm-oil-in-water emulsions: Effect of mixed emulsifiers

Palm-oil-in-water emulsions were prepared with mixtures of Tween 40 and Span 40 in various proportions. Stability and droplet-size distribution of the emulsions were monitored. Interfacial tensions of the palm oil/water interface were also determined in the presence of these emulsifier mixtures. Emulsifying efficiency of the emulsifier mixtures was assessed. No synergistic effect of Tween 40 (sorbitan monopalmitate with 18–22 moles of ethylene oxide) and Span 40 (sorbitan monopalmitate) was found on interfacial tension. Tween 40 alone (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance value 15.6) at 1.0% w/w gave palm oil emulsions that were stable for more than 30 d at 60°C. Emulsifier mixtures of Tween 40 and Span 40 with hydrophilic-lipophilic balance values in the range of 8.0–8.6 produced stable emulsions only at much higher emulsifier-mixture concentrations. The inherent nature of the oil and the accompanying natural surface-active materials present in the oil can influence the prevailing conditions at the oil/water interface and alter composition of the interfacial film and hence its stability.     

Fluor SOx净化工艺——为俄罗斯绿色环境开发的将SOx转化为元素硫的经济技术

Fluor公司开发的Fluor SOx净化工艺具有广泛多样的工艺布局，可以通过经济的方式定制脱除烟气中的有害组成。该工艺几乎能去除全部SOx并减少CO排放。Fluor SOx净化工艺的主要步骤已在多套工业装置中得到成功的证实。除技术可行、经济合理之外，Fluor SOx净化工艺不会产生任何有害副产物，也不会遇到与SOx有关的腐蚀问题。此外，该工艺生产高纯度可市售的元素硫。论述了Fluor SOx净化工艺的特征、技术和成本优势、设计和操作的简易性以及实施的便利性。     

Fluor SOx净化工艺--为俄罗斯绿色环境开发的将SO2转化为元素硫的经济技术

Fluor公司开发的Fluor SO_2净化工艺具有广泛多样的工艺布局,可以通过经济的方式定制脱除烟气中的有害组成。该工艺几乎能去除全部SO_2并减少CO排放。Fluor SO_x净化工艺的主要步骤已在多套工业装置中得到成功的证实。除技术可行、经济合理之外,Fluor SO_x净化工艺不会产生任何有害副产物,也不会遇到与SO_3 有关的腐蚀问题。此外,该工艺生产高纯度可市售的元素硫。论述了Fluor SO_x净化工艺的特征、技术和成本优势、设计和操作的简易性以及实施的便利性。     

Rheology of network forming systems

Viscosity and dynamic shear measurements are reported on several network forming systems as a function of reaction time and temperature. Phenolic, epoxy and EPDM rubber systems are examined. Rheological data are related to the reaction kinetics of the systems. With these relations overall activation energies, reaction orders and rate constants are interpreted from the data. These compare favorably with results in the literature. Applications of rheological techniques to processing problems of several network forming systems are described, specifically thermoset injection molding and SBR rubber vulcanization.     

IT capability and organizational performance: the roles of business process agility and environmental factors

The business value of information technology (IT) has been one of the top concerns of both practitioners and scholars for decades. Numerous studies have documented the positive effects of IT capability on organizational performance but our knowledge of the processes through which such gains are achieved remains limited due to a lack of focus on the business environment. Such a linkage therefore remains the subject of debate in the information systems literature. In this study, we fill this gap by investigating the mediating role of business process agility and the moderating roles of environmental factors. On the basis of matched survey data obtained from 214 IT and business executives from manufacturing firms in China, our analyses show that even though firm-wide IT capability presents the characteristics of rarity, appropriability, non-reproducibility, and non-substitutability, its impact on organizational performance is fully mediated by business process agility. Our results also show that the impact of the environment is multifaceted and nuanced. In particular, environmental hostility weakens the effect of IT capability on business process agility, while environmental complexity strengthens it. The theoretical and practical implications of this study, and its limitations, are also discussed.     

Studies on the cure characteristics and vulcanizate properties of 50/50 NR/SBR blend

Blends of 50/50 natural rubber (NR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) are vulcanized using several conventional and semi-EV systems. The cure characteristics and vulcanizate properties are compared. The quantity and quality of crosslinks in each case are deciphered by chemical probes to correlated them with the vulcanizate properties.     

Oxidation by UV and Ozone of Organic Contaminants Dissolved in Deionized and Raw Mains Water

Organic contaminants dissolved in deionized pretreated and raw mains water were reacted with ultraviolet light and ozone. Ozone first was used for partial oxidation followed by ozone combined with ultraviolet radiation to produce total oxidation. The reduction of TOC level and direct oxidation of halogenated compounds were measured throughout the treatment process. The rate of TOC reduction was compared for ozone injected upstream and inside the reactor.     

Thermoplastic olefin/clay nanocomposites: Morphology and mechanical properties

Thermoplastic olefin (TPO)/clay nanocomposites were made with clay loadings of 0.6–6.7 wt %. The morphology of these TPO/clay nanocomposites was investigated with atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X‐ray diffraction. The ethylene–propylene rubber (EPR) particle morphology in the TPO underwent progressive particle breakup and decreased in particle size as the clay loading increased from 0.6 to 5.6 wt %. TEM micrographs showed that the clay platelets preferentially segregated to the rubber–particle interface. The breakup of the EPR particles was suspected to be due to the increasing melt viscosity observed as the clay loading increased or to the accompanying chemical modifiers of the clay, acting as interfacial agents and reducing the interfacial tension with a concomitant reduction in the particle size. The flexural modulus of the injection moldings increased monotonically as the clay loading increased. The unnotched (Izod) impact strength was substantially increased or maintained, whereas the notched (Izod) impact strength decreased modestly as the clay loading increased. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 928–936, 2004     

Coal liquefaction in nitrogen compounds

Model compound studies have shown that 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline is an exceptionally good coal solvent. In the pure compound, subbituminous coal conversion to THF-soluble products approaches 100% under relatively mild reaction conditions. The effectiveness of tetrahydroquinoline for coal conversion appears to be related to its concentration relative to coal. The unique behaviour of tetrahydroquinoline is ascribed to its being a highly active H-donor; the fact that it is regenerable under reaction conditions by the reaction of hydrogen and quinoline; and that its polarity allows penetration of the coal structure and aids in dispersion of the dissolved coal. It has been found that, during reaction with coal, tetrahydroquinoline and other nitrogen compounds undergo extensive condensation reactions which result in an increase in the nitrogen content of the high boiling and non-distillable liquefaction products.     

Initial cholesterol uptake by everted sacs of rat small intestine: Kinetic and thermodynamic aspects

The kinetics of initial cholesterol uptake by everted rat proximal and distal small intestinal sacs were evaluated in vitro. The mucosal incubation solution consisted of 0.05 mM cholesterol solubilized in 4.8 mM sodium taurocholate micellar solution at pH 7.4. Experiments were performed at temperatures from 26 to 38 C. The rate of cholesterol uptake followed a linear relationship when plotted against time indicating an apparent zero-order kinetics mechanism for initial uptake. An Arrhenius plot of the results of uptake versus temperature remained linear over the entire range of temperatures studied. The large free energy of activation (20 kcal/mole) suggests that an energy barrier for cholesterol uptake exists at the enterocyte luminal cell membrane and may be an important limiting step in cholesterol uptake. It is proposed that a transient association between cholesterol and a component of the enterocyte luminal cell membrane is formed during initial uptake of cholesterol. The transient association may be an activated complex formed with proteins present at or within the luminal enterocyte cell membrane.