Hydrothermal Solidification of Kaolinite–Quartz–Lime Mixtures

The strength development of hydrothermally solidified kaolinite–quartz–lime systems with kaolinite as the aluminum source was studied. The starting materials were mixed so that the Ca/(Si + Al) atomic ratio was in the range 0.23 to 0.25, and the Al/(Si + Al) ratio was between 0 to 0.50. Specimens were formed by uniaxial pressing and hydrothermal treatment under saturated steam pressure at 200°C for 2 to 20 h. For quartz-rich systems with Al/(Si + Al) = 0 and 0.05, strength development by the formation of calcium silicate hydrates, such as C–S–H and tobermorite (Ca₅(Si₆O₁₈H₂)·(4H₂O), was observed. On the other hand, in the case of kaolinite-rich systems with Al/(Si + Al) = 0.24 to 0.50, strength development by the formation of hydrogarnet (Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)(OH)₈) was recognized, resulting in flexural strengths between 15 to 20 MPa. It is proposed that strength development is related to the formation of mesopores (∼0.04 μm) that accompanied formation of the hydrogarnet.     

Effects of gamma-ray irradiation on crevice corrosion repassivation potential of stainless steel in high temperature diluted simulated seawater

The crevice corrosion repassivation potentials (E_R,CREV) of type 304 stainless steel (304 SS) were measured in high temperature (373–553 K), diluted simulated seawater under gamma-ray irradiation, in order to confirm the effects of gamma-ray irradiation on the crevice corrosion behavior of a representative stainless steel in seawater. Overall, for high temperatures, the E_R,CREV values decreased with increasing chloride ion concentration, which was the same as the behavior observed under the non-irradiated condition. The E_R,CREV values measured under gamma-ray irradiation were the same or slightly higher than E_R,CREV values measured under the non-irradiated condition when the [Cl^?] was the same. Consequently, it was confirmed that the threshold potential of crevice corrosion of 304 SS for the gamma-ray irradiation of 1.8 kGy at least did not deteriorate compared with the non-irradiated condition. Under the conditions of this work (seawater composition, [Cl^?] range, dose rate, absorbed dose, flow rate, etc.), the crevice corrosion of 304 SS could be suppressed by maintaining the potential below the threshold potential which was determined approximately as ?0.3 V vs. SHE even for the irradiated condition at temperatures up to 553 K.     

Control of residual aluminum from conventional treatment to improve reverse osmosis performance

Soluble aluminum (Al³⁺) may react with both ambient silica and antiscalant components to form colloidal foulants during reverse osmosis (RO) treatment. Whereas conventional treatment (coagulation/filtration/sedimentation/dual-media filtration) was being used prior to RO, aluminum sulfate (alum) and polyaluminum chloride (PACl) coagulants were evaluated at ambient pH (pH 7.8–7.9) and suppressed pH (pH 6.7) in an effort to lower the total aluminum to below 50 μg/L — a level previously observed to prevent RO membrane fouling. Additional tests were conducted with 5 mg/L citric acid added to the RO influent to chelate the soluble aluminum fraction. All tests were conducted with 1.5–2.5 mg/L chloramines present. Testing of a RO process fed with optimized alum- or PACl-coagulated water showed that PACl outperformed alum regardless of pH. Alum coagulation at ambient pH resulted in 184–273 μg/L total aluminum passing through the filtration process. Only by lowering the mean influent water pH to 6.7 was the mean soluble aluminum residual (45 μg/L) for alum coagulation reduced to below the 50 μg/L aluminum goal. Regardless of pH, for alum-coagulated waters, the higher aluminum carryover resulted in severe RO membrane fouling within 500 h of operation. Only when a chelating agent (citric acid) was added to the RO feed was the loss in productivity and selectivity arrested. However, PACl consistently met the 50-μg/L goal for both total and soluble aluminum for all pH levels tested, which resulted in more stable membrane performance over time. Further research on the compatibility of PACl and polyamide membranes in the presence of chloramines is needed as data from this project suggest PACl coagulation may facilitate membrane oxidation.     

Accelerated rejection of Fas ligand-expressing heart grafts

The Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) system plays an important role in the induction of lymphoid apoptosis and has been implicated in the suppression of immune responses. Recently, there has been renewed interest in immune privilege, as it was shown that two privileged sites (the eye and testes) constitutively express FasL, which kills lymphoid cells that invade these areas. We have established murine FasL-transgenic mice (B6) under the control of the cardiac alpha-myosin heavy chain promotor, and transplanted FasL-expressing F1(B6 x C3H/HeJ) heart grafts into syngeneic (F1) and allogeneic (C3H/HeJ) recipients. FasL-expressing F1 heart allografts placed in C3H/HeJ recipients as well as FasL-expressing F1 isografts placed in nontransgenic and FasL-transgenic F1 were more rapidly rejected, and their survival was much shorter than that of nontransgenic control F1 allografts placed in C3H/HeJ. Native control and FasL-expressing hearts looked normal in mice up to 8 wk of age on hematoxylin-eosin staining. Control heart allografts undergoing ordinally acute rejection showed moderate focal lymphocyte infiltrates, while FasL-expressing F1 allografts and isografts showed massive hemorrhage, edema, and massive neutrophil infiltration as early as 1 day after transplantation. In conclusion, FasL expression and surgical procedure (ischemia/reperfusion) were synergistic in the induction of accelerated heart graft rejection, while allogenicity was not necessary. It may be necessary to find ways of controlling neutrophilic reaction/apoptosis in infiltrating lymphocytes to use FasL in clinical organ transplantation.     

Computer-aided oxygen transport model of mass and energy simulation for corrosion of reinforced steel

The paper includes automated modeling and experimental verification of corrosion in reinforced concrete construction under the effect of varying oxygen concentration. Various construction corrosion cells with different concrete compositions under four different environmental conditions (air dry, submerged, 95% R.H and alternate wetting-drying) have been investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. Using the results (half-cell potential and gravimetric corrosion mass loss) of these laboratory tests and an automated computer-aided simulation model based on mass and energy transfer through the porous construction media for the corrosion process, it was possible to predict, maintain and manage the influence of oxygen concentration on the corrosion rate of the reinforcement in concrete construction under various defined conditions satisfactorily. The variation in oxygen concentration available for corrosion reaction has been taken into account simulating the actual construction field conditions such as by varying concrete cover depth, relative humidity, water-cement ratio, etc. The modeling task has been incorporated by the use of an automated computer based construction durability model ‘DuCOM’ developed by our construction research group at The University of Tokyo as a finite element computational approach for the effect of oxygen on corrosion in relation to W/C, concrete cover, chloride concentration and various environmental humidity construction conditions. This paper is of interest to a broad readership for those interested in automation in reinforced concrete construction involving durability design & engineering related to corrosion of steel in concrete, corrosion resistant construction technology, corrosion maintenance & management. The scope of this paper encompasses various stages of the corrosion in construction life cycle from initial planning and design, through construction of steel reinforced concrete facility, its operation and maintenance, to the estimation of demolishing due to limiting oxygen controlled corrosion damage. This paper contains novel investigations involving computer-aided durability design, corrosion modeling under varying oxygen, classification and standardization of corrosion product data. The paper incorporates mass and energy process simulation models and graphics for the effect of oxygen on corrosion and its automated inspection as well as management. This comprehensive automated modeling and experimental investigation involving variety of materials and environmental variables will help in profound understanding, maintenance and management of oxygen controlled corrosion reaction in RC construction and will provide significant future research prospects in the field of oxygen limiting automated corrosion modeling of RC construction.     

Use of renewable resource vanillin for the preparation of benzoxazine resin and reactive monomeric surfactant containing oxazine ring

A renewable natural resource, vanillin, is used to synthesize polybenzoxazine with the expected desirable benzoxazine properties as well as a high char yield of 55.3%. The synthesized monomer provides an unused aldehyde group from vanillin. The aldehyde can be further reacted with other materials to enhance properties. As a model, the unused aldehyde is reacted with amine terminated poly(ethylene oxide) to form a surfactant which retains 1,3-benzoxazine's reactivity. The chemical structure of the synthesized monomers, surfactant and polymers are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR). Thermal properties are also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Miniemulsions with stability up to 2 weeks are created with the newly synthesized surfactant and polystyrene. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) indicates 627 nm as the average diameter of the emulsion droplets.     

Acylamino acid-releasing enzyme from the thermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii

When the genome of the thermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii was sequenced, a gene homologous to the mammalian gene for an acylamino acid-releasing enzyme (EC 3.4.19.1) was found in which the enzyme's proposed active residues were conserved. The P. horikoshii gene comprised an open reading frame of 1,896 base pairs with an ATG initiation codon and a TAG termination codon, encoding a 72,390-Da protein of 632 amino acid residues. This gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli with the pET vector system, and the resulting enzyme showed the anticipated amino-terminal sequence and high hydrolytic activity for acylpeptides. This enzyme was concluded to be the first acylamino acid-releasing enzyme from an organism other than a eukaryotic cell. The existence of the enzyme in archaea suggests that the mechanisms of protein degradation or initiation of protein synthesis or both in archaea may be similar to those in eukaryotes. The enzyme was stable at 90 degreesC, with its optimum temperature over 90 degreesC. The specific activity of the enzyme increased 7-14-fold with heat treatment, suggesting the modification of the enzyme's structure for optimal hydrolytic activity by heating. This enzyme is expected to be useful for the removal of Nalpha-acylated residues in short peptide sequence analysis at high temperatures.