Influence of the silicon surface treatment by plasma etching and scratching on the nucleation of diamond grown in HFCVD - a comparative study

A comparative study for the nucleation of diamond was carried out using surface treatment like (i) surface scratching with 1 μm diamond paste and (ii) surface etching using chlorine plasma at different RF powers (50, 100 and 150 W). Atomic force microscopic study shows variation in roughness from 31 nm to 110 nm. Scratching results in random scratches, whereas plasma etches a surface uniformly. Scanning electron microscopic observations show well faceted crystallites with a predominance of angular shaped grains corresponding to 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 crystallite surfaces for the scratched as well as plasma etched substrate. Surface etching at 150 W plasma power results in a better growth in comparison with 50 and 100 W plasma powers. Chlorine-radical is found responsible for the changes in the growth morphology. Raman spectroscopy shows a sharp peak at 1,332 cm⁻¹ and a peak at ∼1,580 cm⁻¹ for both samples.     

Characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in SBR and SBBR with different ammonium loading rates

Laboratory scale experiments were conducted to study the deterioration of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) due to influent ammonium concentration, and to compare the performance of two types of sequencing batch reactor (SBR) systems, a conventional SBR and sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR). Both in SBR and SBBR, the total nitrogen removal efficiency decreased from 100% to 53% and from 87.5% to 54.4%, respectively, with the increase of influent ammonium concentration from 20 mg/l to 80 mg/l. When the influent ammonium concentration was as low as 20 mg/l (C: N: P=200: 20: 15), denitrifying glycogen-accumulating organisms (DGAOs) were successfully grown and activated by using glucose as a sole carbon source in a lab-scale anaerobic-oxic-anoxic (A₂O) SBR. In the SBR, due to the effect of incomplete denitrification and pH drop, the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency decreased from 77% to 33.3% when the influent ammonium concentration increased from 20 mg/l to 80 mg/l. However, in the SBBR, simultaneous nitrification/denitrification (SND) occurred, and the nitrification rate in the aerobic phase did not change remarkably in spite of the increase in influent ammonium concentration. Phosphorus removal was not affected by the increase of influent ammonium concentration.     

Zero-valent iron treatment of RDX-containing and perchlorate-containing wastewaters from an ammunition-manufacturing plant at elevated temperatures.

The use of zero-valent iron for treating wastewaters containing RDX and perchlorate from an army ammunition plant (AAP) in the USA at elevated temperatures and moderately elevated temperature with chemical addition was evaluated through batch and column experiments. RDX in the wastewater was completely removed in an iron column after 6.4 minutes. Increasing the temperature to 75 degrees C decreased the required retention time to 2.1 minutes for complete RDX removal. Perchlorate in the wastewater was completely removed by iron at an elevated temperature of 150 degrees C in batch reactors in 6 hours without pH control. Significant reduction of perchlorate by zero-valent iron was also achieved at a more moderate temperature (75 degrees C) through use of a 0.2 M acetate buffer. Based on the evaluation results, we propose two innovative processes for treating RDX-containing and perchlorate-containing wastewaters: a temperature and pressure-controlled batch iron reactor and subsequent oxidation by existing industrial wastewater treatment plant; and reduction by consecutive iron columns with heating and acid addition capabilities and subsequent oxidation.     

Deposition of PtxRu1−x Catalysts for Methanol Oxidation in Micro Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Platinum-ruthenium electrodes (Pt_xRu_1-x) have been prepared by electrochemical and electroless deposition and investigated as catalysts for the oxidation of methanol in acidic solutions. Pt_xRu_1-x deposits were electrochemically deposited from acidic chloride electrolytes at potentials between −0.46 and 0.34 V (vs. NHE). The composition of the electrodeposit was estimated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and is a strong function of the electrode potential. An empirical model for the deposition process is presented and kinetic parameters are estimated and discussed. Also, the methanol oxidation activity of the Pt_xRu_1-x catalysts was characterized by cyclic voltammetry in 1.0 M CH₃OH, 1.0 M H₂SO₄ solutions. Electroless Pt_xRu_1-x samples were prepared in a modified Leaman bath with hydrazine dihydrochloride as the reducing agent. The kinetic results for the electrochemical deposition of Pt_xRu_1-x were directly applied and the deposition potential was estimated as approximately 0.40 V.     

The application of microencapsulated phase‐change materials to nylon fabric using direct dual coating method

The fabrication of functional textiles able to provide thermal regulation and comfort for the body has attracted increasing interest in recent years. This research investigated fabric coatings containing energy absorbing, temperature stabilizing, phase‐change material microcapsules (PCMMcs), and their methods of application. Specifically, a coated fabric was directly prepared by a dual‐type coating method, in which the PCMMcs were dispersed in a polyurethane coating solution with no binder. The thermal performances of the dual‐coated samples were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, and their physical characteristics were examined by scanning electron microscopy, thermal vision camera, porosity, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and water entry pressure (WEP) analyses. Furthermore, the microclimate characteristics of the thermally enhanced fabrics were investigated under experimental conditions using a human‐clothing‐environment (HCE) simulator system. The study results confirmed the superior performance of the dual‐coated fabrics in terms of thermal regulation and body comfort, compared with those coated by the dry or wet coating method, because of the improved WEP, WVTR, and thermal performance. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Isothermal crystallization behavior of hybrid biocomposite consisting of regenerated cellulose fiber,clay, and poly(lactic acid)

Quantitative analysis of isothermal crystallization kinetics of PLA/clay nanocomposite and PLA/clay/regenerated cellulose fiber (RCF) hybrid composite has been conducted. The crystallization rate constant (k) according to Avrami equation was higher in PLA/clay nanocomposite than in PLA/clay/RCF hybrid composite at the same crystallization temperature. The equilibrium melting temperature obtained by Hoffman–Weeks equation was almost same in both composites, whereas stability parameter was greater in hybrid composite than in nanocomposite. Activation energy of hybrid composite for crystallization was larger than that of nanocomposite. The value of nucleation parameter (K_g) and surface free energy (s_e) of hybrid composite were larger than nanocomposite, indicating that hybrid composite has a less folding regularity than nanocomposite. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Influence of polymer modulus on the percolation threshold of latex-based composites

Monodispersed copolymer emulsions with different glass transition temperatures were synthesized to investigate the effect of room temperature polymer matrix modulus on the electrical properties of carbon black (CB) filled segregated network composites. The emulsion with the highest modulus at room temperature produced composites with the lowest percolation threshold. The threshold for a composite made from a copolymer latex containing an equal ratio of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate (BA5) is 1.5 vol%, while the percolation threshold for the much lower modulus BA7 (7:3 BA/MMA ratio) is 4.93 vol%. The microstructure of each composite shows significant differences in the level of CB dispersion within the polymer matrix. Higher modulus polymer particles push the CB more efficiently into the interstitial space between them, resulting in a lower percolation threshold. This modulus effect was confirmed by increasing the drying temperature, where the moduli of latexes (BA5, BA5.5, and BA6) were more similar and the percolation thresholds for three composites also become closer to one another.     

Effect of Li+ ions on structure,properties, and actuation of cellulose electro‐active paper actuator

We have reported an electro‐active paper actuator from regenerated cellulose. After dissolving cellulose fibers with a solution of lithium chloride in N,N‐dimethylacetamide, cellulose was regenerated by combining distillation of cellulose solution along with washing with the mixture of deionized water, isopropyl alcohol, and running water. However, the effect of Li⁺ ions on structure, properties, and the actuation behavior of the actuator was not studied. This article describes the changes in these parameters when the Li⁺ ions are removed by subjecting it to different running water exposure time. The structure and properties of cellulose electro‐active paper and its actuation behavior were studied. As Li⁺ ions content reduced from 4354.17 to 10.26 ppm by increasing the exposure time of running water, crystallinity, Young's modulus, and bending displacement decreased. Details about the investigation have been explained. This elimination of ions is important to increase the piezoelectric effect in EAPap by decreasing the ion migration effect. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008