Operating Environment-Based Availability Importance Measures for Mining Equipment (Case Study: Sungun Copper Mine)

When a system’s performance is inadequate, the concept of availability importance can be used to improve it. The availability of an item depends on the combined aspects of its reliability and maintainability. In a system consisting of many subsystems, the availability of some subsystems is more important to system performance than others. The availability measure determines the priority of availability across subsystems. Most researchers only consider operation time and ignore the influence of the operating environment; therefore, their estimations are not accurate enough. In contrast to previous research, we focus on the influence of the operating environment on the system/subsystem’s characteristics with a view to prioritizing them based on the importance of availability. The paper considers part of the mining fleet system of Sungun copper mine, including the wagon drill, loader, bulldozer, and dump truck subsystems. We identify an ordered list of possibilities for availability improvement and suggest changes or remedial actions for each item to either reduce its failure rate or reduce the time required to repair it.     

Blood supply chain network design considering blood group compatibility under uncertainty

This paper addresses the design of a blood supply chain (SC) network considering blood group compatibility. To this aim, a bi-objective mathematical programming model is developed which minimises the total cost as well as the maximum unsatisfied demand. Due to uncertain nature of some input parameters, two novel robust possibilistic programming models are proposed based on credibility measure. The data of a real case study are then used to illustrate the applicability and performance of the proposed models as well as validating the proposed robust possibilistic programming approach. The obtained results show the superiority of the developed models and significant cost savings compared to current existed blood SC network.     

Development of Al356/SiCp cast composites by injection of SiCp containing composite powders

One of the great challenges of producing cast metal matrix composites is the agglomeration tendency of the reinforcements. This would normally result in poor distribution of the particles, high porosity content, and low mechanical properties. In the present work, a new method for uniform distribution of very fine SiC particles with average size of less than 3 μm was employed. The key idea was to allow for gradual in situ release of properly wetted SiC particles in the liquid metal. For this purpose, SiC particles were injected into the melt in three different forms, i.e., untreated SiC_p, milled particulate Al–SiC_p composite powder, and milled particulate Al–SiC_p–Mg composite powder. The resultant composite slurries were then cast from either fully liquid (stir casting) or semisolid (compocasting) state. Consequently, the effects of the casting method and the type of the injected powder on the microstructural characteristics as well as the mechanical properties of the cast composites were investigated. The results showed that the distribution of SiC particles in the matrix and the porosity content of the composites were greatly improved by injecting milled composite powders instead of untreated-SiC particles into the melt. Casting from semisolid state instead of fully liquid state had similar effects. The average size of SiC particles incorporated into the matrix was also significantly reduced from about 8 to 3 μm by injecting milled composite powders. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of Al356/5 vol.%SiC_p composite manufactured by compocasting of the (Al–SiC_p–Mg)_cp injected melt were increased by 90%, 103% and 135%, respectively, compared to those of the composite manufactured by stir casting of the untreated-SiC_p injected melt.     

Significant improvement of semi-solid microstructure and mechanical properties of A356 alloy by ARB process

Accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process was used in this study as an effective method for manufacturing high-strength, finely-dispersed and highly-uniform A356 alloy. It was found that when the number of ARB cycles was increased, the uniformity of silicon particles in the aluminum matrix improved, the particles became finer and spheroider and therefore, the tensile strength (TS) and ductility of the samples improved. The microstructure of the manufactured A356 alloy after five ARB cycles indicated a totally modified structure such that it's TS and elongation values reached 269 MPa and 5.3% which were 2.6 and 2.5 times greater than those of the as-cast material, respectively. Also, the hardness value increased from 55.4 (for as-cast sample) to 100.2 HV (after the fifth cycle of ARB), and registered 81% increase.     

Nanoethosomal formulation of gammaoryzanol for skin-aging protection and wrinkle improvement: a histopathological study

Background: Free radical scavengers and antioxidants, with the main focus on enhanced targeting to the skin layers, can provide protection against skin ageing.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to prepare nanoethosomal formulation of gammaoryzanol (GO), a water insoluble antioxidant, for its dermal delivery to prevent skin aging.

Methods: Nanoethosomal formulation was prepared by a modified ethanol injection method and characterized by using laser light scattering, scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The effects of formulation parameters on nanoparticle size, encapsulation efficiency percent (EE%) and loading capacity percent (LC%) were investigated. Antioxidant activity of GO-loaded formulation was investigated in vitro using normal African green monkey kidney fibroblast cells (Vero). The effect of control and GO-loaded nanoethosomal formulation on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of rat skin was also probed. Furthermore, the effect of GO-loaded nanoethosomes on skin wrinkle improvement was studied by dermoscopic and histological examination on healthy humans and UV-irradiated rats, respectively.

Results: The optimized nanoethosomal formulation showed promising characteristics including narrow size distribution 0.17?±?0.02, mean diameter of 98.9?±?0.05?nm, EE% of 97.12?±?3.62%, LC% of 13.87?±?1.36% and zeta potential value of –15.1?±?0.9?mV. The XRD results confirmed uniform drug dispersion in the nanoethosomes structure. In vitro and in vivo antioxidant studies confirmed the superior antioxidant effect of GO-loaded nanoethosomal formulation compared with control groups (blank nanoethosomes and GO suspension).

Conclusions: Nanoethosomes was a promising carrier for dermal delivery of GO and consequently had superior anti-aging effect.     

Freestanding hierarchical porous carbon film derived from hybrid nanocellulose for high-power supercapacitors

Nanocellulose is a sustainable and eco-friendly nanomaterial derived from renewable biomass.In this study,we utilized the structural advantages of two types of nanocellulose and fabricated freestanding carbonized hybrid nanocellulose films as electrode materials for supercapacitors.The long cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) formed a macroporous framework,and the short cellulose nanocrystals were assembled around the CNF framework and generated micro/mesopores.This two-level hierarchical porous structure was successfully preserved during carbonization because of a thin atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3 conformal coating,which effectively prevented the aggregation of nanocellulose.These carbonized,partially graphitized nanocellulose fibers were interconnected,forming an integrated and highly conductive network with a large specific surface area of 1,244 m2·g-1.The two-level hierarchical porous structure facilitated fast ion transport in the film.When tested as an electrode material with a high mass loading of 4 mg·cm-2 for supercapacitors,the hierarchical porous carbon film derived from hybrid nanocellulose exhibited a specific capacitance of 170 F.g-1and extraordinary performance at high current densities.Even at a very high current of 50 A·g-1,it retained 65％ of its original specific capacitance,which makes it a promising electrode material for high-power applications.