Deposition of UF5 on the surface of steel material having oxide coating in contact with gaseous UF6

When UF6 is handled in leak tight system, the amount of uranium compound formed on the surface of containers, valves, and others in UF6 handling facilities is not so significant for a short term that special attention has not been given to this problem. The present work was done to throw some more light on this problem based on the recent experiment. We discuss the possibility that the intermolecular transfer of a fluorine atom from UF6 to UF5 may participate in the formation of uranium compound. The discussion includes also the unique features contained in the experimental result, the reaction processes assumed in this problem, and the derivation of a rate equation for expressing the deposition of uranium compound. Furthermore, we propose a new method for determining nonlinear parameters included in a governing differential equation having two variables for expressing the deposition of uranium compound from experimental raw data.     

Simulation Analysis of the Heat Transfer Performance of an N-type Microchannel Heat Exchanger

A microchannel heat exchanger with a triangular wave and symmetrical triangular wave structure was proposed in this paper. In addition, a new N-type microchannel heat exchanger was developed to balance the heat transfer performance and pressure drop. The relationship between different configurations of the N structure of the microchannel and the heat transfer performance was analyzed. The results showed that, at a high inlet flow rate, the symmetrical triangular wave microchannel had the best heat transfer performance, followed by the triangular wave microchannel and the straight channel. At the same flow rate, the degree of disturbance of the fluid was highest in the symmetrical N-structure microchannel, and an excellent heat transfer effect was observed.     

Magnetic Nanoparticle Arrays Self-Assembled on Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Media

We study magnetic-field directed self-assembly of magnetic nanoparticles onto templates recorded on perpendicular magnetic recording media, and quantify feature width and height as a function of assembly time. Feature widths are determined from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images, while heights are obtained with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). For short assembly times, widths were ~150 nm, while heights were ~14 nm, a single nanoparticle on average with a 10:1 aspect ratio. For long assembly times, widths approach 550 nm, while the average height grows to 3 nanoparticles, ~35 nm; a 16:1 aspect ratio. We perform magnetometry on these self-assembled structures and observe the slope of the magnetic moment vs. field curve increases with time. This increase suggests magnetic nanoparticle interactions evolve from nanoparticle–nanoparticle interactions to cluster–cluster interactions as opposed to feature–feature interactions. We suggest the aspect ratio increase occurs because the magnetic field gradients are strongest near the transitions between recorded regions in perpendicular media. If these gradients can be optimized for assembly, strong potential exists for using perpendicular recording templates to assemble complex heterogeneous materials.     

A web-based software tool for participatory optimization of conservation practices in watersheds

WRESTORE (Watershed Restoration Using Spatio-Temporal Optimization of Resources) is a web-based, participatory planning tool that can be used to engage with watershed stakeholder communities, and involve them in using science-based, human-guided, interactive simulation–optimization methods for designing potential conservation practices on their landscape. The underlying optimization algorithms, process simulation models, and interfaces allow users to not only spatially optimize the locations and types of new conservation practices based on quantifiable goals estimated by the dynamic simulation models, but also to include their personal subjective and/or unquantifiable criteria in the location and design of these practices. In this paper, we describe the software, interfaces, and architecture of WRESTORE, provide scenarios for implementing the WRESTORE tool in a watershed community's planning process, and discuss considerations for future developments.     

Managing readiness-relevant activities for the organizational dimension of ERP implementation

An organization requires performing readiness-relevant activities to ensure successful implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This paper develops a novel approach to managing these interrelated activities to get ready for implementing an ERP system. The approach enables an organization to evaluate its ERP implementation readiness by assessing the degree to which it can achieve the interrelated readiness relevant activities using fuzzy cognitive maps. Based on the interrelationship degrees among the activities, the approach clusters the activities into manageable groups and prioritizes them. To help work out a readiness improvement plan, scenario analysis is conducted.     

Performance improvement of conventional and inverted polymer solar cells with hydrophobic fluoropolymer as nonvolatile processing additive

The morphology of the photoactive layer critically affects the performance of the bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (PSCs). To control the morphology, we introduced a hydrophobic fluoropolymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as nonvolatile additive into the P3HT:PCBM active layer. The effect of PVDF on the surface and the bulk morphology were investigated by atomic force microscope and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Through the repulsive interactions between the hydrophilic PCBM and the hydrophobic PVDF, much more uniform phase separation with good P3HT crystallinity is formed within the active layer, resulting enhanced light harvesting and improved photovoltaic performance in conventional devices. The PCE of the conventional device can improve from 2.40% to 3.07% with PVDF additive. The PVDF distribution within the active layer was investigated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy, confirming a bottom distribution of PVDF. Therefore, inverted device structure was designed, and the PCE can improve from 2.81% to 3.45% with PVDF additive. Our findings suggest that PVDF is a promising nonvolatile processing additive for high performance polymer solar cells.     

In vivo evaluation of a mucoadhesive polymeric caplet for intravaginal anti-HIV-1 delivery and development of a molecular mechanistic model for thermochemical characterization

Context and objective: The aim of this study was to develop, characterize and evaluate a mucoadhesive caplet resulting from a polymeric blend (polymeric caplet) for intravaginal anti-HIV-1 delivery.

Materials and methods: Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid, ethylcellulose, poly(vinylalcohol), polyacrylic acid and modified polyamide 6, 10 polymers were blended and compressed to a caplet-shaped device, with and without two model drugs 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS). Thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy and microscopic analysis were carried out on the caplets employing temperature-modulated DSC (TMDSC), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrometer and scanning electron microscope, respectively. In vitro and in vivo drug release analyses as well as the histopathological toxicity studies were carried out on the drug-loaded caplets. Furthermore, molecular mechanics (MM) simulations were carried out on the drug-loaded caplets to corroborate the experimental findings.

Results and discussion: There was a big deviation between the T_g of the polymeric caplet from the T_g's of the constituent polymers indicating a strong interaction between constituent polymers. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of specific ionic and non-ionic interactions within the caplet. A controlled near zero-order drug release was obtained for AZT (20 d) and PSS (28 d). In vivo results, i.e. the drug concentration in plasma ranged between 0.012–0.332?mg/mL and 0.009–0.256?mg/mL for AZT and PSS over 1–28 d.

Conclusion: The obtained results, which were corroborated by MM simulations, attested that the developed system has the potential for effective delivery of anti-HIV-agents.     

Supply chain planning and scheduling integration using Lagrangian decomposition in a knowledge management environment

The integration of planning and scheduling decisions in rigorous mathematical models usually results in large scale problems. In order to tackle the problem complexity, decomposition techniques based on duality and information flows between a master and a set of subproblems are widely applied. In this sense, ontologies improve information sharing and communication in enterprises and can even represent holistic mathematical models facilitating the use of analytic tools and providing higher flexibility for model building. In this work, we exploit this ontologies’ capability to address the optimal integration of planning and scheduling using a Lagrangian decomposition approach. Scheduling/planning sub-problems are created for each facility/supply chain entity and their dual solution information is shared by means of the ontological framework. Two case studies based on a STN representation of supply chain planning and scheduling models are presented to emphasize the advantages and limitations of the proposed approach.     

Study of the effect of noble metal promotion in Ni-based catalyst for the Sabatier reaction

This paper reports the preparation and the evaluation of the performance of Ni-based powder catalysts with low nickel loading on the CO2 methanation reaction, that is an integral part of the power-to-gas (PtG) technology. CeO₂, CeZrO₄ and CeO₂/SiO₂ were selected as possible supports, and the results of this first screening pointed out that 10%Ni/CeO₂ catalyst could offer the best reaction performances because of ceria's peculiar characteristics. Moreover, the promotion of this promising formulation with the addition of a small amount of noble metals (Pt, Ru, Rh) was investigated, showing that platinum in particular can enhance the catalyst performances. A further study related to the noble metal loading pointed out that platinum and ruthenium have a different optimum loading condition: this result, together with the activity tests performed on monometallic formulations with only the noble metal, suggested that the two metals are able to catalyse two different reactions, thus promoting two different reaction mechanisms.     

Design guidelines for titania-silica-alumina ceramics with tuned anatase to rutile transformation

Titania-based ceramics with adjustable anatase-rutile fractions were obtained by milling of anatase, quartz and corundum precursors, uniaxial pressing and firing at 1100?°C. The influence of silica and alumina, combined with milling time and compaction pressure, was studied by design of experiments. The L9 orthogonal array with a three-level noise factor was employed. Firing of pure titania at 1100?°C yielded complete anatase to rutile transformation (ART), whereas stabilized samples show that an optimum amount of 9% silica and 33% alumina reduces phase transformation to only about 5?wt% rutile. An extended correlation matrix combined with analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to assess the combined effects of quartz, alumina, milling time and uniaxial compressing pressure on relative density, and anatase to rutile transformation. Results show absence of ART after milling, and controlled partial conversion of anatase to rutile after firing. Very good fitting was obtained by multivariate analysis on considering first and second order terms for dependence on silica contents and interactions between silica and each of the remaining factors, including milling time. This empirical dependence could be interpreted on a sound physicochemical basis, allowing the prediction of suitable compositions and processing conditions to obtain rutile-free samples by conventional ceramic processing, and to design ceramic samples with controlled fractions of anatase and rutile.