Effects of salt and ammonium hydroxide on the quality of ground buffalo meat

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ammonium hydroxide (AH) and sodium chloride on the quality of ground buffalo meat patties. Ground buffalo meat was treated with distilled water (control), 0.5% v/w AH, 1.0% v/w AH, 2.0% v/w AH and 1.0% w/w sodium chloride was added for all the samples. Treatment with AH increased (P<0.05) the pH and water holding capacity (WHC) of ground buffalo meat patties during storage relative to their controls. Hunterlab a* (redness) and chroma values increased (P<0.05) and hue decreased (P<0.05) in all AH treated samples in comparison to controls during storage. Ammonium hydroxide significantly (P<0.05) inhibited metmyoglobin formation compared to control after 3rd day of storage. There was a significant (P<0.05) reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values in all AH treated samples compared to control throughout storage. These results indicate the potential antioxidant and myoglobin redox stabilizing effect of AH in ground buffalo meat patties.     

Cue-based networking

In this paper we present a new approach called cue-based networking that uses hints or cues about the physical environment to optimize networked application behavior. We define the notion of cues and describe how cues can be obtained using wireless sensor networks as the underlying platform. We identify both the research and system challenges that need to be addressed to realize benefits of the approach under a target application of video delivery over IP networks. In the process, we identify key challenges of wireless sensor networks, namely timeliness and robustness. We design an adaptive algorithm that balances the tradeoff between them satisfying both timeliness and robustness requirements. Through an implementation of the video delivery application using the proposed algorithm in a real home environment, we highlight the practical benefits of the proposed approach.     

Nanoscale Characterization of Energy Generation from Piezoelectric Thin Films

We report on the use of nanoindentation to characterize in situ the voltage and current generation of piezoelectric thin films. This work presents the controlled observation of nanoscale piezoelectric voltage and current generation, allowing accurate quantification and mapping of force function variations. We characterize both continuous thin films and lithographically patterned nano­islands with constrained interaction area. The influence of size on energy generation parameters is reported, demonstrating that nanoislands can exhibit more effective current generation than continuous films. This quantitative finding suggests that further research into the impact of nanoscale patterning of piezoelectric thin films may yield an improved materials platform for integrated microscale energy scavenging systems.     

Elemental Analogues of Graphene: Silicene,Germanene, Stanene,and Phosphorene

The fascinating electronic and optoelectronic properties of free‐standing graphene has led to the exploration of alternative two‐dimensional materials that can be easily integrated with current generation of electronic technologies. In contrast to 2D oxide and dichalcogenides, elemental 2D analogues of graphene, which include monolayer silicon (silicene), are fast emerging as promising alternatives, with predictions of high degree of integration with existing technologies. This article reviews this emerging class of 2D elemental materials – silicene, germanene, stanene, and phosphorene – with emphasis on fundamental properties and synthesis techniques. The need for further investigations to establish controlled synthesis techniques and the viability of such elemental 2D materials is highlighted. Future prospects harnessing the ability to manipulate the electronic structure of these materials for nano‐ and opto‐electronic applications are identified.     

The role of grain size and selected microstructural parameters in strengthening fully lamellar TiAl alloys

More than 5 years ago, wrought processing was first used to produce fully lamellar (FL) microstructures in TiAl alloys having grain sizes less than ≈400 μm. These alloys exhibit an improvement in overall balance of properties, especially at high temperatures. More recently, such microstructural forms led to exceptional yield strengths (500 to 1000 MPa at low temperatures) while maintaining attractive high-temperature properties. The improvements appeared to be related to an unusually high apparent sensitivity of strength to grain size. Studies reported an apparent value for the slope of the Hall-Petch (HP) plot approaching 5 MPa√m for FL gamma alloys, while that for single-phase or duplex microstructures is near unity. The present investigations examine the slope of the HP plot for FL microstructures, paying particular attention to the lamellar microstructural variables. Results show that the α ₂ lamellar thickness and spacing and the γ lamellar thickness can vary over more than two orders of magnitude with typical process methods. These spacings influence the value of k _y in the HP (grain size) relationship. Since they often change concomitantly with grain size in processing, they can give rise to a large scatter in the HP plot. The investigations also examine the flow behavior, glide barriers, and slip multiplicity for polysynthetically twinned (PST) crystals (the single-grain analogue of FL material), and then map this behavior into an explanation of the yield behavior of high-strength FL gamma alloys. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium “Fundamentals of Gamma Titanium Aluminides,” presented at the TMS Annual Meeting, February 10–12, 1997, Orlando, Florida, under the auspices of the ASM/MSD Flow & Fracture and Phase Transformations Committees.     

Adhesion and friction studies of silicon surfaces processed using a microparticle-based method

A surface processing method that combines electrostatic deposition of microparticles and dry etching is utilized to modify the surface topography of silicon surfaces to reduce adhesion and friction force. Microscale adhesion and friction tests were conducted on flat (smooth) and processed silicon surfaces with a low elastic modulus thermoplastic rubber (Santoprene) probe that allowed a large enough contact area to observe the feature size effect. Both adhesion and friction force of the processed surfaces were reduced comparing to that of the flat surfaces.     

Effect of cerium addition on microstructures of carbon-alloyed iron aluminides

The effect of Ce addition on the microstructure of carbon-alloyed Fe₃Al-based intermetallic has been studied. Three different alloys of composition, Fe-18.5Al-3.6C, Fe-20.0Al-20C and Fe-19.2Al-3.3C-0.07Ce (in at%), were prepared by electroslag remelting process. Their microstructures were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopies. Stereological methods were utilized to understand the observed microstructures. All the alloys exhibited a typical two-phase microstructure consisting of Fe₃AlC carbides in an iron aluminide matrix. In the alloy without Ce addition, large bulky carbides were equally distributed throughout the matrix with many smaller precipitates interspersed in between. In the alloy with Ce addition, the carbide grain sizes were finer and uniformly distributed throughout the matrix. The effect of Ce addition on the carbide morphology has been explained based on the known effect of Ce in modifying carbide morphology in cast irons.     

The nature of dislocation motion in quasicrystals

Calculations in a hydrodynamic model of quasicrystal dynamics show that dislocation motion in these systems is impeded by a drag far greater than that in crystals.     

Novel AB crosslinked polymer networks based on 1‐vinylimidazole‐ terminated polyurethane and poly(methyl methacrylate)

1‐Vinylimidazole‐terminated telechelic polyurethanes were prepared from 1‐vinylimidazole and bromine‐terminated polyurethane. This vinyl‐terminated telechelic polyurethane (VTPU) and methyl methacrylate were polymerized in the presence of benzoyl peroxide to prepare novel AB crosslinked polymer networks (ABCPs). These were characterized by spectral, thermal and mechanical studies. The absence of the characteristic peak of vinyl group in infrared spectra of ABCP films confirms the occurrence of crosslinking. Static mechanical testing showed that the tensile strength of ABCP increases with increasing poly(methyl methacrylate) content. Dynamic mechanical studies revealed that ABCPs, at equal compositions of VTPU and methyl methacrylate, show good damping properties. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry