Scan pattern, stress and mechanical strength of laser directly sintered ceramics

A finite element model was developed to simulate the influence of laser scan patterns (laser jump patterns, ratio of length to width and laser scan angle) on the temperature and stress distributions in the process of laser direct sintering ceramics. The effects of laser scan patterns on the stresses in the laser directly sintered ceramic samples were investigated by simulation. Different ceramic samples were prepared by the laser sintering process for the four-point bending strength measurement. The simulation results consist with the experimental ones. The results in the present research can be used to optimize process route for the laser direct sintering process and provide a guidance for selecting the laser processes parameters for high mechanical strength ceramic components.     

Supervision of two fundamental problems in modern fluid dynamics for sparing energy

The normal shock at a curved surface in transonic flow leads to a superdetermined boundary value problem. A bump behind the shock decreases the drag of the airfoil and reduces the necessary energy. Flows of non-Newtonian media lead in the contrary to subdetermined boundary initial problems. The energy balance for these fluids is of great interest for chemical engineering.     

Uncertainty assessment in friction factor measurements as a tool to design experimental set-ups

The promising performance of microchannels has given rise to intensive research on pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of flows at the small scale. To check the classical models and to validate new ones, experiments need to be conducted, which are particularly difficult given the characteristic dimensions involved and the magnitude of the fluxes to be measured. Although more care has been devoted lately to the design of experiments in terms of control of the geometry and of the boundary conditions, the uncertainties which inevitably affect each measurement do not seem to have been given the proper consideration. Correctly calculating uncertainties not only allows a correct assessment of the experimental data obtained, but can also be used to decide which measurements need to have the highest precision to achieve a certain accuracy, thus saving money on the others. In this paper, a quantitative criterion is given to assess the accuracy achievable in the determination of the friction factor in the laminar regime for the flow of a fluid in a circular microtube. The influence of the six quantities (pressure drop, outlet pressure, temperature, length, diameter and volume flow rate) measured to determine f in the laminar regime are studied separately and when combined. It is found that at low Reynolds numbers flow rate and pressure drop measurements are determinant for the final value of the uncertainty, while at larger Reynolds numbers the influence of the accuracy in measuring the hydraulic diameter prevails and also limits the minimum value that the total uncertainty can take.     

Low self-esteem is a risk factor for depressive symptoms from young adulthood to old age.

Data from two large longitudinal studies were used to analyze reciprocal relations between self-esteem and depressive symptoms across the adult life span. Study 1 included 1,685 participants aged 18 to 96 years assessed 4 times over a 9-year period. Study 2 included 2,479 participants aged 18 to 88 years assessed 3 times over a 4-year period. In both studies, cross-lagged regression analyses indicated that low self-esteem predicted subsequent depressive symptoms, but depressive symptoms did not predict subsequent levels of self-esteem. This pattern of results replicated across all age groups, for both affective–cognitive and somatic symptoms of depression, and after controlling for content overlap between the self-esteem and depression scales. The results suggest that low self-esteem operates as a risk factor for depressive symptoms at all phases of the adult life span. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Influence of the Rare Earth Element Ce on the High-Temperature Oxidation Kinetics of Low-Cr Steels

The oxidation behavior of steels containing low-Cr concentrations (0.5-2.25 wt.%) has been studied in laboratory air in the temperature range of 400-550 °C. The oxidation rate of the steels was lower than that of pure iron, but higher than that of pure iron when a small amount of rare earth element cerium (0.03 wt.%) is added to the 2.25Cr1Mo steel. The mass change follows a nearly parabolic law for the case of pure iron and the steel without Ce addition, while linear behavior describes the oxygen uptake for the case of the 2.25Cr1Mo+0.03Ce steel. SEM cross-section observations and thermodynamic calculations confirm that there is no wustite (FeO) formation during oxidation of pure iron and low-Cr steels at 550 °C, whereas FeO might be formed in the oxide scale of 2.25Cr1Mo+0.03Ce at the same oxidation conditions (temperature, atmosphere, and exposure time). By investigating the temperature for FeO stability, this study reveals that the temperature for FeO formation on pure iron is 568 °C, for the 2.25Cr1Mo steel 589 °C, and 471 °C for the 2.25Cr1Mo+0.03Ce. This low value for the FeO stability temperature found for the steel 2.25Cr1Mo+0.03Ce steel explains why this steel oxidizes very fast at 550 °C.     

Potential of photovoltaic systems in countries with high solar irradiation

Renewable energy sources derived principally from solar energy have been gaining ground over the last few years and are now beginning to contribute to the global energy mix. Solar energy in the form of direct electricity conversion (photovoltaics) is already very popular in countries such as the United States, Germany and Japan. The enormous potential of photovoltaic (PV) technology is also obvious and favourable in countries with high irradiation such as the Mediterranean region. The objective of this paper is to review the different up and coming PV technologies, to explore the potential of different PV systems in countries with high solar irradiation and to compare their performance through the assessment of thirteen different types of PV systems that have been installed side by side in Nicosia, Cyprus and Stuttgart, Germany. Finally useful insight into the performance of the PV systems as a function of the meteorological conditions and location will be highlighted.     

Sustainable packaging design: a holistic methodology for packaging design

This study describes a holistic methodology for sustainable packaging design. This methodology studies the combined systems of packaging and the packaged products across the whole distribution chain from manufacturer to end consumer and the life cycle from raw material extraction to the waste phase. It contains a number of indicators that are grouped into the following main categories: environmental sustainability, distribution costs, product protection, market acceptance and user friendliness. The methodology integrates a number of different analytical methods. It is intended to be used in packaging design and optimisation, for idea generation, decision support and as documentation of properties of existing packaging systems. The study describes experiences with the methodology from one case study in the Norwegian Food Industry. The experiences show that the methodology is very comprehensive, and gives a good overview of the properties of a packaging solution. It enables quantitative comparisons between different packaging solutions throughout the design process. The methodology reduces the risk of implementing sub‐optimal packaging solutions. An additional benefit of the methodology is gained by working in cross‐functional teams. One potential drawback is that the methodology can be resource and data intensive. The methodology can be used as a tool box in packaging design, i.e. it is not necessary to use all methods and quantify all indicators to gain benefit. However, all indicators and requirements should be evaluated and considered. In all cases, it should be considered to include additional indicators if important sustainability issues have not been addressed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Functionalization of electrospun fibers of poly(ε-caprolactone) with star shaped NCO-poly(ethylene glycol)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">stat</Emphasis>-poly(propylene glycol) for neuronal cell guidance

Microfibers produced with electrospinning have recently been used in tissue engineering. In the development of artificial implants for nerve regeneration they are of particular interest as guidance structures for cell migration and axonal growth. Using electrospinning we produced parallel-orientated biocompatible fibers in the submicron range consisting of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and star shaped NCO-poly(ethylene glycol)-stat-poly(propylene glycol) (sPEG). Addition of the bioactive peptide sequence glycine-arginine-glycine-aspartate-serine (GRGDS) or the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin to the electrospinning solution resulted in functionalized fibers. Surface characteristics and biological properties of functionalized and non-functionalised fibers were investigated. Polymer solutions and electrospinning process parameters were varied to obtain high quality orientated fibers. A polymer mixture containing high molecular weight PCL, PCL-diol, and sPEG permitted a chemical reaction between hydroxyl groups of the diol and isocyanante groups of the sPEG. Surface analysis demonstrated that sPEG at the fiber surface minimized protein adhesion. In vitro experiments using dorsal root ganglia explants showed that the cell repellent property of pure PCL/sPEG fibers was overcome by functionalization either with GRGDS peptide or fibronectin. In this way cell migration and axonal outgrowth along fibers were significantly increased. Thus, functionalized electrospun PCL/sPEG fibers, while preventing non-specific protein adsorption, are a suitable substrate for biological and medical applications.