Study of microsegregation buildup during solidification of spheroidal graphite cast iron

This work presents an attempt to describe the complex relationship between the development of the solidification microstructures and buildup of microsegregation in spheroidal graphite (SG) cast irons by coupling an experimental investigation and a modeling approach. Experimental characterization of microsegregation in cast iron was made by means of point counting microanalysis along a grid. With this method, the differences of silicon distribution in alloys solidified in the stable system, the metastable system, or in both systems were clearly evidenced. The distribution of manganese in alloy solidified in the stable system was also investigated. It has been, in particular, observed that alloys solidified in the stable (respectively, metastable) system present significant negative (respectively, positive) segregation of silicon, and that alloys solidified in both systems are much less segregated. The solidification path of these alloys has been conveniently reproduced by means of predictions made with a physical model accounting for the nature of the alloy, either hypoeutectic or hypereutectic, and for the sensitivity to temperature and composition of the partition coefficient of alloying elements.     

Monte Carlo simulation of 2D TASER

A possibility to develop the so called TASER (Terahertz-Amplification-by-the-Stimulated-Emission-of- Radiation) by using two-dimensional (2D) electron transport in quantum well (QW) structures is investigated by Monte Carlo simulation of the optical-phonon-emission assisted transit-time resonance (OPTTR) of 2D electrons in momentum space under the low lattice temperature. A considerable extension of the frequency region for THz radiation generation (upto 5 times) when going from 3D- to 2D-case is predicted.     

Cold Compaction and Solid-State Sintering of WC-Co-Based Structures: Experiments and Modeling

Cold compaction (200-1900 MPa) and sintering (1250°-1350°C) of cermets based on WC-Co were experimentally studied using die compaction, cold isostatic pressing, sintering, and creep tests. Two different-sized WC powders were used. The cobalt content varied over a range of 10-30 wt%. Cold-compaction behavior has been described by using a Cam-Clay model. Die-wall friction was measured by using green powder compacts that had different aspect ratios. Friction coefficients were 0.28-0.85, depending on the WC particle size and cobalt content. Simple constitutive equations have been used to model the high-temperature behavior (sintering and creep). The constitutive equations were implemented in a finite-element program to model the compaction, ejection, and sintering of bilayer structures that had different cobalt contents. The model can represent the effect of die-wall friction on the average density, as well as deformation inside the green compact. Density gradients were generated; they were revealed during sintering, because the compact does not deform homogeneously. Simulation also can be used to evaluate deformations that are induced by sintering.     

Families of automata characterizing context-sensitive languages

In the hierarchy of infinite graph families, rational graphs are defined by rational transducers with labelled final states. This paper proves that their traces are precisely context-sensitive languages and that this result remains true for synchronized rational graphs.Received: 17 December 2003, Published online: 27 December 2004     

The impact of a sewage treatment plant's effluent on sediment quality in a small bay in Lake Geneva (Switzerland–France). Part 2: Temporal evolution of heavy metals

The Bay of Vidy is the most contaminated area of Lake Geneva, Switzerland, as a result of the release of treated and untreated waste water from the municipal sewage treatment plant of the city of Lausanne and its surroundings. The reconstruction of the historical deposition of heavy metals in the sediment of the bay has been performed by the analysis of several dated (radiocaesium) sediment cores. The presence of sewage‐derived contaminants in the Bay of Vidy since the beginning of the sewage treatment plant's operations in 1964 is clearly observed, when a sharp increase in heavy metal contents is recorded, with maximum concentrations of cadmium, copper, zinc and lead occurring between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Despite considerable improvement in recent times, the present concentrations of the investigated heavy metals in sediments of the Bay of Vidy are still higher than concentrations measured at the centre of the lake, the latter close to Lake Geneva's natural background values. It is concluded that the quantity of heavy metals deposited in the bay is considerable and, because of sediment instability, will constitute a potential hazard for biota.     

Extraction of polymer stress–strain behavior in the presence of self‐heating by the use of a simple model for the elastic–plastic deformation

Polymer materials are well known to be sensitive to strain rate and temperature. Self‐heating and friction effects also play an important role in the mechanical response of these materials. Numerous constitutive laws and phenomenological models have been developed to take into account these dependencies. This article proposes a simplified phenomenological model based on a mapping technique for the strain rate and temperature dependence. The effects of friction and adiabatic heating are also analyzed in this work. Relatively good results are obtained compared to experimental results for polypropylene and polychlorotrifluoroethylene. A parametric investigation of the effects of the interfacial equivalent stress (between the specimen and the compressive bars) and the fraction of plastic work converted into heat was performed. This parametric study allowed for a good approximation of these two parameters for the two studied polymers. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2474–2481, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of Cooling Press on the Optical Transmission Through Photovoltaic Encapsulants

In certain laminators for poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) encapsulation process of photovoltaic modules, cooling press (CP) is applied to the module after encapsulation. Here, the effect of CP on the optical transmission through common PV encapsulants is studied. Interestingly, CP is shown to reduce drastically the scattering of the light between 400 and 700 nm traveling through the thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO)-based encapsulant. Post-annealing tests prove this effect to be stable at the temperature up to 85°C. This work has discovered a simple solution to mitigate the milky appearance of the TPO encapsulant and hence greatly enhanced its competitiveness against EVA.     

Synthesis,Chiral Separation,Absolute Configuration Assignment,and Biological Activity of Enantiomers of Retro‐1 as Potent Inhibitors of Shiga Toxin

The Shiga toxin (Stx) family is composed of related protein toxins produced by the bacteria Shigella dysenteriae and certain pathogenic strains of E. coli. No effective therapies for Stx intoxication have been developed yet. However, inhibitors that act on the intracellular trafficking of these toxins may provide new options for the development of therapeutic strategies. This study reports the synthesis, chromatographic separation, and pharmacological evaluation of the two enantiomers of Retro‐1, a compound active against Stx and other such protein toxins. Retro‐1 works by inhibiting retrograde transport of these toxins inside cells. In vitro experiments proved that the configuration of the stereocenter at position 5 is not crucial for the activity of this compound. X‐ray diffraction data revealed (S)‐Retro‐1 to be slightly more active than (R)‐Retro‐1.     

Structural Insight into the Complex of Ferredoxin and [FeFe] Hydrogenase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The transfer of photosynthetic electrons by the ferredoxin PetF to the [FeFe] hydrogenase HydA1 in the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a key step in hydrogen production. Electron delivery requires a specific interaction between PetF and HydA1. However, because of the transient nature of the electron‐transfer complex, a crystal structure remains elusive. Therefore, we performed protein–protein docking based on new experimental data from a solution NMR spectroscopy investigation of native and gallium‐substituted PetF. This provides valuable information about residues crucial for complex formation and electron transfer. The derived complex model might help to pinpoint residue substitution targets for improved hydrogen production.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Dimethylzinc to Acyl‐N‐methylimidazole Michael Acceptors: Scope,Limitations and Iterative Reactions

An efficient copper‐catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of dimethylzinc to unsaturated 2‐acyl‐N‐methylimidazoles has been achieved using a chiral bidentate hydroxyalkyl‐NHC ligand. The reactions proceed with excellent regioselectivity (1,4 vs. 1,6 and 1,8) in extended conjugated systems to afford the 1,4‐adducts in high enantioselectivities. This regioselectivity could be ascertained by DFT studies highlighting the crucial role of the imidazole ring. Thanks to the development of efficient protocols to regenerate the unsaturated 2‐acyl‐N‐methylimidazole moiety, an iterative process has been developed ultimately leading to 3,5,7 all‐syn or anti‐anti polydeoxypropionate stereodiads.