Laboratory tests of filtration coefficient of selected materials used in liquidating shafts in collieries

There are a lot of dangers associated with closing mine shafts which may emerge during its liquidation works, and after liquidation of a shaft. The most important of them are: methane hazard, water hazard, and public safety hazard, which are commonly connected with occurrence of sinkholes. In the process of shaft liquidation it is extremely important to choose the right backfill materials, which determine stability of the backfill column and proper drainage of the backfill, which will match or exceed potential flow of water into a shaft. When the water flows into a liquidated shaft the main problem is a change in permeability coefficient of the used backfill materials due to grain degradation resulting from the fall into a shaft and the pressure within the backfill column. The article presents results of laboratory tests on the influence of vertical pressure on filtration coefficient and compressibility of the most commonly used backfill materials. During the tests, samples of the materials were loaded in a hydraulic press, simulating in this way the increase in vertical pressure within the backfill column. Compressibility of a given material and the change in filtration coefficient were assessed.     

Modification of Fe and Al elemental powders’ sintering with addition of magnesium and magnesium hydride

An attempt to modify sintering of iron and aluminium elemental powders with use of small additions of Mg and MgH₂ was presented in this paper. The kinetics of such modified sintering was investigated using DSC technique, XRD analysis and SEM observations. Significant changes in the mechanism of exothermal formation reaction of Fe–Al intermetallic phases in compositions doped with magnesium and its hydride was observed. Initiation temperature of Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (SHS) reaction was pronouncedly shifted to lower value as compared with undoped composition. Influence of additions on the SHS reaction kinetics parameters was also calculated with use of the JMA model and changes of the Avrami exponent value of specific phase formation was noticed. Positive effect of MgH₂ addition on partial homogeneity of final product was also studied.     

Fatty acid composition of egg yolk phospholipid fractions following feed supplementation of Lohmann Brown hens with humic-fat preparations

The effect of feed supplementation with humic-fat preparations on the fatty acid composition of egg yolk phospholipid fractions was studied. The Lohmann Brown was the experimental hen strain and two feeding mixtures were applied – the standard feed and the mixture supplemented with humic-fat preparations. The fatty acid profile of yolk lipids was significantly affected (P = .05) by the supplementation of feed and total increase of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was established. A different distribution of n-3 PUFA in egg yolk lipid fractions was observed: α-linolenic acid (18:3) was found in the triacylglycerol fraction, whereas docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) was detected in the phospholipid fractions. Supplementation of the hen’s diet with humic-fat preparations resulted in the production of n-3 enriched eggs with decreased n-6/n-3 ratio in all phospholipid fractions in comparison to the eggs from the control group.     

Multiscale approach to the morphology,structure, and segmental dynamics of complex degradable aliphatic polyurethanes

A multiscale approach spanning from the segmental (subnanometer) up to micrometer level was applied for detailed study of the self‐assembly of aliphatic block polyurethane (PU) elastomers. To understand the principles of the self‐organization of hard and soft segments in the complex multi‐component systems, several two‐component model PU samples, that is, the products of 1,6‐diisocyanatohexane (HDI) with three diols differing in the length and constitution were also prepared, characterized, and investigated: (i) polycarbonate‐based macrodiol (MD), (ii) biodegradable oligomeric diol (DL‐L; product of butane‐1,4‐diol and D,L‐lactide), and (iii) butane‐1,4‐diol (BD). The study (particularly ¹³C‐¹H PILGRIM NMR spectra) reveals complex internal organization and interesting (application appealing) behavior of multi‐component PUs. Hard segments (HDI+BD products) feature self‐assembled and significantly folded chain conformations with interdomain spacing 15–22 nm (small‐angle X‐ray scattering analysis). The small domains are hierarchically assembled in various structural formations of µm size (spherulites) depending on PU composition, as detected by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41590.     

Solid‐State NMR Study of Mn2+ for Ca2+ Substitution in Thermally Processed Hydroxyapatites

In the present study calcium hydroxyapatites enriched at 0.08 wt% in Mn²⁺ ions (Mn–HA) and their unsubstituted forms (HA) were synthesized using the same standard wet chemical route. Mn‐HA and HA were both calcined at 800°C to give Mn‐HAc and HAc, respectively or sintered at 1250°C, to give Mn‐HAs and HAs, respectively. The influence of the heat treatment on physicochemical properties of Mn‐HA was investigated using powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning, and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR). Mn‐HAc and Mn‐HAs were compared to each other and to HAc and HAs, respectively. Assignment of the proton ssNMR peaks from high‐temperature‐treated apatites has been revised. It was found that Mn–HAc and HAc were nanocrystalline, while Mn‐HAs and HAs comprised micrometer sized, partially fused particles (SEM and TEM). PXRD and ssNMR demonstrated that the incorporation of Mn²⁺ into the crystal lattice of hydroxyapatite significantly facilitates its dehydroxylation and decomposition to oxyhydroxyapatite during calcination at 800°C, and induces its transformation to tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) and alpha‐tricalcium phosphate (α‐TCP) at 1250°C. Contamination by CaO has also been detected. The ¹H→³¹P NMR cross‐polarization experiments have indicated that the Mn²⁺ ions preferentially occupied the Ca(I) position in the crystallographic unit cell of Mn‐HAc. In Mn‐HAs, the Mn²⁺ ions were evenly distributed between the Ca(I) and Ca(II) positions.     

Thermodynamic aspects of power generation in imperfect fuel cells: part II

This research continues the thermodynamic analysis of steady-state solid oxide fuel cells initiated in Sieniutycz (Sieniutycz, S., 2010, Thermodynamic aspects of power generation in imperfect fuel cells: part I. International Journal of Ambient Energy, 31 (4), 195–202). This analysis focuses on the effect of incomplete conversions in chemical reactions. A general approach is developed that attributes lowering of the cell voltage below its reversible value to polarisations and imperfect chemical conversions. Relevant model, appropriate for systems with complete conversions, is extended to imperfect cases. The performance curves of a fuel cell and the effect of typical design and operating parameters on the cell behaviour are analysed. A general result is obtained for power limits of fuel cells propelled by linear transport phenomena.     

Extraction of phenolic compounds from sour cherry pomace with supercritical carbon dioxide: Impact of process parameters on the composition and antioxidant properties of extracts

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) is rich in biologically active phenolic compounds. These compounds are concentrated in fruit skin and most of them remain in the leftovers during the production of juice. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction was used to separate phenolic compounds from sour cherry pomace. The effects of temperature, pressure and the addition of ethanol on anthocyanin and the total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity of the extracts were investigated. The best results were acquired for 35°C, 10 MPa and 80% ethanol addition. A strong correlation was found between the phenolic content and other features of the extracts.     

The influence of electron beam irradiation,plastic deformation,and re‐irradiation on crystallinity degree,mechanical and sclerometric properties of GUR 1050 used for arthroplasty

The article describes the influence of an electron beam irradiation (I), plastic deformation (D), and re‐irradiation (R) on the properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (GUR 1050). It was found that the modification through irradiation entailed a gradual increase in the degree of crystallinity (after irradiation–I). After plastic deformation and re‐irradiation (IDR) the degree of crystallinity decreases which had a direct influence on the mechanical properties. The polymer irradiation only (technique I) resulted in an increase in the maximum stress as compared with the material in the initial state. The application of deformation and re‐irradiation (technique IDR) allowed increasing the deformation resistance by more than 40%. Moreover, the irradiation with an electron beam resulted in the increase in hardness (H) and Young's modulus (E) proportionally to the applied irradiation dose and in the reduction of total indentation work (W_tot) and its components. After deformation and re‐irradiation the polyethylene hardness went down. The application of technique (I) caused an improvement to the material abrasion resistance (reduction of parameter PD–working scratch depth) with the increasing irradiation dose. The introduction of deformation and re‐irradiation did not have a material impact on parameter (PD) increasing at the same time elastic properties of UHMWPE (increase in parameter NPS–elastic recovery). Modification IDR has changed the wear mechanism (β) toward ploughing and has increased the abrasion‐resistance index (W_β) and also significantly reduced the coefficient of friction (μ) of GUR 1050. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43683.     

Traumatic Acid Reduces Oxidative Stress and Enhances Collagen Biosynthesis in Cultured Human Skin Fibroblasts

Traumatic acid (TA) is a plant hormone (cytokinin) that in terms of chemical structure belongs to the group of fatty acids derivatives. It was isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris. TA activity and its influence on human cells and organism has not previously been the subject of research. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of TA on collagen content and basic oxidative stress parameters, such as antioxidative enzyme activity, reduced glutathione, thiol group content, and lipid peroxidation in physiological conditions. The results show a stimulatory effect of TA on tested parameters. TA caused a decrease in membrane phospholipid peroxidation and exhibited protective properties against ROS production. It also increases protein and collagen biosynthesis and its secretion into the culture medium. The present findings reveal that TA exhibits multiple and complex activity in fibroblast cells in vitro. TA, with its activity similar to unsaturated fatty acids, shows antioxidant and stimulatory effects on collagen biosynthesis. It is a potentially powerful agent with applications in the treatment of many skin diseases connected with oxidative stress and collagen biosynthesis disorders.