The Effect of Size of Testing Samples on Notch Toughness of Structural Steels

We analyze notch toughness assessment of full scale testing samples (FS) form the upper bound toughness of sub-sized (SS) samples of structural carbon-manganese steels. The relations proposed by Schindler (2000) are in good agreement with experimental data. Empirical proportionality constant q* = 0.54 between notch toughness of full scale and sub-sized samples of studied structural steels agrees well with theoretically estimated constant q* = 0.50-0.54. More precise knowledge of the size effect of testing samples on temperature dependence of notch toughness requires an analysis of scatter in experimental data.     

Blends of canal surfaces from polyhedral medial transform representations

We present a new method for constructing G¹ blending surfaces between an arbitrary number of canal surfaces. The topological relation of the canal surfaces is specified via a convex polyhedron and the design technique is based on a generalization of the medial surface transform. The resulting blend surface consists of trimmed envelopes of one- and two-parameter families of spheres. Blending the medial surface transform instead of the surface itself is shown to be a powerful and elegant approach for blend surface generation. The performance of our approach is demonstrated by several examples.     

Inhibitors of CA IX Enzyme Based on Polyhedral Boron Compounds

This review describes recent progress in the design and development of inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) based on space-filling carborane and cobalt bis(dicarbollide) clusters. CA IX enzyme is known to play a crucial role in cancer cell proliferation and metastases. The new class of potent and selective CA IX inhibitors combines the structural motif of a bulky inorganic cluster with an alkylsulfamido or alkylsulfonamido anchor group for Zn²⁺ ion in the enzyme active site. Detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of a large series containing 50 compounds uncovered structural features of the cluster-containing inhibitors that are important for efficient and selective inhibition of CA IX activity. Preclinical evaluation of selected compounds revealed low toxicity, favorable pharmacokinetics and ability to reduce tumor growth. Cluster-containing inhibitors of CA IX can thus be considered as promising candidates for drug development and/or for combination therapy in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).     

Physico-chemical Characteristics of Wet-milled Ultrafine-granulated Phosphorus Slag as a Supplementary Cementitious Material

The phosphorus slag(PS) can be used as a supplementary cementitious material due to its potential hydrating activity. However, its usage has been limited by its adverse effects, including prolonged setting and lowered early-stage strength. In this study, we achieved ultrafine granulation of PS using wetmilling(reducing d50 to as low as 2.02 μm) in order to increase its activity, and examined the physico-chemical properties of the resulting materials, including particle-size distribution, slurry pH, zeta potential, and activity index, as well as how their replacement level and granularity affect the setting time and mechanical performance of PS-cement mixture systems. The results suggested that as the granularity increases, there are significant boosts in the uniformity of particle sizes, slurry pH, and activity index, and the effects on cement paste, including setting times, and early-and late-stage strengths, are significantly mitigated. When d_(50)=2.02 μm, the slurry becomes strongly alkaline(pH=12.16) compared to the initial d_(50)=20.75 μm(pH=9.49), and the activity is increased by 73%; when used at 40% replacement, the PS-cement mixture system can reach a 28 d compressive strength of 93.2 MPa, 36% higher than that of the pure cement control group.     

On the Basic Extraction Properties of a Phenyl Trifluoromethyl Sulfone-Based GANEX System Containing CyMe4-BTBP and TBP

A Grouped ActiNide EXtraction (GANEX) process for the extraction of actinides from used nuclear fuel for transmutation purposes has been investigated. The studied solvent consists of phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone (FS-13), CyMe₄-BTBP, and TBP, a combination that has previously shown promising results. The time to reach extraction equilibrium for the system has been found to be less than 20 min. A 2:1 complex has been found between CyMe₄-BTBP and americium(III) or curium(III), whereas plutonium(IV) and CyMe₄-BTBP create a 1:1 complex. The extraction of fission product is low in the system.     

A TBP/BTBP-based GANEX Separation Process—Part 2: Ageing,Hydrolytic, and Radiolytic Stability

Abstract

The waste from nuclear power plants worldwide has to be isolated from man and his environment for about 100,000 years to equal the levels of natural uranium. If, however, the long-lived actinides could be separated from the spent fuel and transmuted, then the isolation time could be shortened to about 1,000 years. This does, however, require the selective separation of the actinides from the rest of the waste. Several processes exist for such a separation, of which one is the Group ActiNide Extraction (GANEX) process. A novel GANEX process has been developed at the Chalmers University of Technology utilizing the properties of already well known extractants by combining BTBP and TBP into one solvent. The stability provided by this GANEX solvent towards ageing, hydrolysis, and radiolysis has been investigated. The results show that the actinide distribution ratios are maintained after a long duration of contact with strong nitric acid. The solvent has also been found to be stable towards radiolysis up to 200 kGy in contact with 4 M nitric acid.