Electrochemical routes for environmentally friendly recycling of rare-earth-based (Sm–Co) permanent magnets

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry - The consumption of critical raw materials, especially those in permanent magnets of Nd–Fe–B and Sm–Co-type, has significantly grown in the...     

Variation of Intumescent Coatings Revealing Different Modes of Action for Good Protection Performance

Thermal insulation and mechanical resistance play a crucial role for the performance of an intumescent coating. Both properties depend strongly on the morphology and morphological development of the foamed residue. Small amounts (4 wt%) of fiberglass, clay and a copper salt, respectively, are incorporated into an intumescent coating to study their influence on the morphology and performance of the residues. The bench scale fire tests were performed on 75 × 75 × 2 mm³ coated steel plates according to the standard time–temperature curve in the Standard Time Temperature Muffle Furnace⁺ (STT Mufu⁺). It provided information about foaming dynamics (expansion rates) and thermal insulation. Adding the copper salt halved the expansion height, whereas the clay and fiberglass change the height of the residue only moderately. The time to reach 500°C was improved by 31% for clay and 15% for the other two fillers. Nondestructive micro computed tomography is used to assess the inner structure of the residues. A transition of the residue from a black, carbonaceous foam with closed cells into an inorganic, residual open cell sponge occurs at high temperatures. This transition is due to a loss of carbon; the change in microstructure is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Additional mechanical tests are performed and interpreted with respect to the results of the morphology analysis. Adding clay or copper salt improved the mechanical resistance tested by a factor 4. The additives significantly influence the thickness and foaming dynamics as well as the inner structure of the residues, whereas their influence on insulation performance is moderate. In conclusion, different modes of action are observed to achieve similar insulation performance during the fire test.     

Temperature-sensitive mutants of influenza A virus. XIV. Production and evaluation of influenza A/Georgia/74-ts-1[E] recombinant viruses in human adults

The two temperature-sensitive (ts) lesions present in influenza A/Hong Kong/68-ts-1[E] (H3N2 68) virus were transferred via genetic reassortment to influenza A/Georgia/74 (H3N2 74) wild-type virus. A recombinant clone possessing both ts lesions and the shutoff temperature of 38 C of the Hong Kong/68 ts donor and the two surface antigens of the Georgia/74 wild-type virus was administered to 32 seronegative adult volunteers. Thirty-one volunteers were infected, of whom only five experienced mild afebrile upper respiratory tract illness. The wild-type recipient virus was a cloned population that induced illness in five of six infected volunteers. Therfore, the attenuation exhibited by the Georgia/74-ts-1[E] virus could reasonably be assumed to be due to the acquisition of the two ts-1[E] lesions by the Georgia/74 wild-type virus. The serum and nasal wash antibody responses of the ts-1[E] vaccinees were equivalent to those of the volunteers who received wild-type virus. The two ts lesions present in the Hong Kong/68-ts-1[E] virus have now been transferred three times to a wild-type virus bearing a new hemagglutinin, and in each instance the new ts recombination exhibited a similar, satisfactory level of attenuation and antigenicity for adults. It seems likely that the transfer of the ts-1[E] lesions to any new influenza virus will regularly result in attenuation of a recombinat virus possessing the new surface antigens.     

Assessment of a method for measuring serum thyroxine by radioimmunoassay, with use of polyethylene glycol precipitation

We assessed the efficacy of a new thyroxine radioimmunoassay kit (Abott) in which polyethylene glycol is used to separate bound from free hormone. Mean serum thyroxine was 88 +/- 15 (+/-SD) microgram/liter for 96 normal persons. Results for hypothyroid and hyperthyroid persons were clearly separated from those for normal individuals. Women taking oral contraceptive preparations showed variable increases in their serum thyroxine values. The coefficient of variation ranged from 1 to 3% within assay and from 5.4 to 11% among different assays. Excellent parallelism was demonstrated between thyroxine values estimated by this method and those obtained either by competitive protein binding or by a separate radioimmunoassay for the hormone.     

Polarographic determination of robenidine residues in chicken tissues, eggs, litter, soil, and plant tissue

Polarographic residue methods have been developed for determining robenidine (Robenz), 1,3-bis[p-chlorobenzylidene)amino]-guanidine monohydrochloride, in chicken tissues, eggs, litter, soil, and plants. The compound is extracted from chicken fat, skin, muscle, liver, and eggs with ethyl acetate; from blood with acetone; from plant tissue, litter, and kidney with acidic acetone; and from soil with basic methanol. After extraction by high-speed blending or overnight shaking, the extract is cleaned up by evaporation, solvent partition and/or elution from CG-50 ion exchange resin. Robenidine is quantitated by differential cathode ray polarography, using acidic aqueous methanol or acetic acid (1+1) supporting electrolyte. Recoveries ranged from 64 to 125% with an average overall recovery of 90%. The validated sensitivity is 0.1 ppm for chicken tissues, soil, and plants, 0.01 ppm for eggs, and 1 ppm for litter.     

Lymphography in patients with suspected malignancy or fever of unexplained origin

Forty-four patients underwent bipedal lymphography for evaluation of fever of unexplained origin, or because a malignant tumor (usually lymphoma) was suspected clinically. Extensive prior medical evaluation was inconclusive. The lymphograms were of no apparent value in detecting the etiology of the illness. Reactive follicular hyperplasia was frequently seen and sometimes simulated lymphoma on the lymphogram. The primary value of lymphography in such cases is as an aid in planning biopsy and surgery.     

Silicon temperature measurement by infrared absorption. Fundamentalprocesses and doping effects

The fundamental absorption mechanisms in silicon at 1.30 and 1.55 μm have been investigated in the temperature range of 500-800°C. For lightly doped wafers in this temperature range, the absorption at 1.55 μm is by free carriers. and that at 1.30 μm is predominantly by bandgap absorption. The effect of heavy substrate doping on infrared absorption at an elevated temperature has also been studied, and it was found that doping has little effect below levels of 7×10¹⁷ cm^-3. Above that level, the temperature dependence of free carrier absorption strongly affects the transmission as a function of temperature. The knowledge of the fundamental absorption processes is then used to predict the ultimate temperature ranges over which the technique will be useful     

Migration of single-stranded DNA in polyacrylamide gels during electrophoresis

By using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and electric birefringence, the migration of single-stranded DNA in polyacrylamide gels and orientation as a response to an electric pulse were investigated. Electrophoretic mobility is in good agreement with the model of biased reptation including fluctuations. The determination of the electrophoretic mobility in solution, mu0, allows an estimation of the gel pore diameter seen by the molecule. As previously observed for double-stranded DNA, the electric birefringence results from two processes: the alignment of the molecule along the electric field and the elongation of the primitive path in the gel, for long single-stranded DNA (>2000 bases). The combination of results obtained with the two techniques allows us to propose experimental conditions to improve the separation of single-stranded DNA with pulsed field techniques.