Itaconic acid and amino alcohol functionalized polyethylene as compatibilizers for polyethylene nanocomposites

The compatibilization provided by itaconic acid (IA) and 2-[2-(dimethylamino)-ethoxy] ethanol (DMAE) functionalized polyethylene for forming polyethylene-based nanocomposites was studied and compared. IA was grafted into PE by melt mixing to obtain PEgIA (compatibilizer 1), thereafter, PEgIA was reacted with DMAE also by melt mixing to obtain PAgDMAE (compatibilizer 2). PE-clay nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing polyethylene with each of the two quaternary ammonium modified montmorillonite clays (Cloisite 30B and Nanomer I28E) plus each of the two previously prepared compatibilizers (PEgIA and PEgDMAE). FTIR characterization confirmed the formation of these two compatibilizers. All the compatibilized nanocomposites had better clay exfoliation–intercalated compared to the uncompatibilized PE nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results, as well as the mechanical properties attained showed that the PEgDMAE with the I28E clay produced the better exfoliated–intercalated nanocomposites. Samples with C30B clay did not show any intercalation improvement, as compared to the uncompatibilized samples, which was attributed mainly to the smaller initial intergallery spacing of this clay. Finally, it is concluded that the PEgDMAE offers an outstanding capability for preparing highly exfoliated PE clay nanocomposites.     

Synthesis and stability of α-tricalcium phosphate doped with dicalcium silicate in the system Ca3(PO4)2–Ca2SiO4

The aim of this study was to synthesize materials of α-tricalcium phosphate doped with small amounts of dicalcium silicate, by solid state reaction, at high temperature and slow cooling to room temperature. The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, showing that there is a region between 0.5 and 4.0 wt.% of dicalcium silicate where solid solution α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCPss) is stable to room temperature.     

Number of discernible colors for color-deficient observers estimated from the MacAdam limits

We estimated the number of colors perceived by color normal and color-deficient observers when looking at the theoretic limits of object-color stimuli. These limits, the optimal color stimuli, were computed for a color normal observer and CIE standard illuminant D65, and the resultant colors were expressed in the CIELAB and DIN99d color spaces. The corresponding color volumes for abnormal color vision were computed using models simulating for normal trichromatic observers the appearance for dichromats and anomalous trichomats. The number of colors perceived in each case was then computed from the color volumes enclosed by the optimal colors also known as MacAdam limits. It was estimated that dichromats perceive less than 1% of the colors perceived by normal trichromats and that anomalous trichromats perceive 50%-60% for anomalies in the medium-wavelength-sensitive and 60%-70% for anomalies in the long-wavelength-sensitive cones. Complementary estimates obtained similarly for the spectral locus of monochromatic stimuli suggest less impairment for color-deficient observers, a fact that is explained by the two-dimensional nature of the locus.     

Estimation of biological properties by means of chromatographic systems: evaluation of the factors that contribute to the variance of biological-chromatographic correlations

The performance of chromatographic systems to emulate biological systems is evaluated in terms of the precision that can be achieved. The variance obtained when biological parameters are correlated against physicochemical ones can be decomposed in three terms: the variance of the biological data, the variance of the physicochemical data, and the variance caused by the dissimilarity between the two correlated systems (biological and physicochemical). The three terms contribute to the overall variance observed when measurements in chromatographic systems are correlated with experimental biological properties. The Abraham linear free energy relationships (LFERs) provide a very good approach to characterize biological and physicochemical systems and thus the variance of the analyzed data and the similarity/dissimilarity between them. The contribution of the three variances to the precision of the biological parameter estimated in this way is evaluated from the characterization of the biological and chromatographic systems by means of the Abraham model. The proposed method is able to estimate the goodness of chromatographic systems to predict particular biological properties. In particular, this method is illustrated by comparison of toxicity data (-log LC(50)) for the fish fathead minnow with retention data (log k) in several micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) systems and also by correlations between retention data (log k) in the sodium taurocholate (STC) MEKC system and data of several biological systems.     

In-band optical signal-to-noise ratio monitoring method based on high-resolution polarization analysis and induced differential group delay

We report on an in-band optical signal-to-noise ratio monitoring technique for wavelength division multiplexed channels. Our proposal relies on the different degree of polarization between the signal (highly polarized) and the noise (not polarized). Using this principle, we divide the signal under test into two orthogonal polarization components and induce a differential group delay via a controlled birefringence apparatus that produces a wavelength-dependent shift of the polarization state of the signal. After a linear polarizing filter, high-resolution spectral analysis allows measurement of the amplified spontaneous emission noise level. The method is tested by experimental measurements of a 40 Gbit/s differential phase-shift keying channel showing very good performance.     

Hydrogen production from oil sludge gasification/biomass mixtures and potential use in hydrotreatment processes

Gasification of oil sludge (OS) from crude oil refinery and biomass was investigated to evaluate hydrogen production and its potential use in diesel oil hydrodesulphurization process. Gasification process was studied by Aspen Hysys^® tools, considering different kinetic model for main OS compounds. Air and superheated steam mixtures as gasifying agents were simulated. Gasification parameters like: temperature, syngas chemical composition and gas yield were evaluated. Results showed OS thermal conversion needs a working temperature above 1300 °C to ensure a high conversion (>90%) of OS compounds. Thermal energy requirement for gasification was estimated between 0.80 and 1.25 kWh/kg OS, considering equivalence air (ER) and steam/oil sludge (SOS) ratio between 0.25-0.37 and 0.2–1.5 kg steam/kg OS, respectively. The gas yield was 2.28 Nm³/kg OS, with a H₂ content close to 25 mol%, for a H₂ potential production about 1.84 Nm³ H₂/kg OS; nevertheless, when OS and biomass mixtures are used, hydrogen production increases to 3.51 Nm³ H₂/kg OS, meaning 37% of H₂ (from natural gas) required for diesel oil hydrodesulphurization could be replaced, becoming an added value technological alternative for OS waste conversion as a source of H₂, inducing a considerable reduction of greenhouse gases and non-renewables resources.