Oxidation of propane over a diesel exhaust catalyst

The oxidation of propane, over a concentration range of 0.30 to 1.04 mole % in air was investigated over a commercial diesel exhaust catalyst consisting of CuO, Cr₂O₃ and Pd supported on Al₂O₃. The rate of reaction was correlated by a first order, irreversible rate function; the resulting pre-exponential factor and activation energy were 3.15 × 10⁷ cc/g-sec and 21.3 kcal/gmole, respectively. At high temperatures the reaction rate became influenced by pore diffusion. A temperature of 675°K was required to obtain 50% propane conversion. It was concluded that this catayst is unsuitable for catalytic mufflers on diesel buses since the measured value of diesel exhaust temperatures at the cataytic muffler inlet is significantly less than 675°K.     

Predicting performance in ASEAN banks: an integrated fuzzy MCDM–neural network approach

This paper presents a performance assessment of 88 Association of Southeast Asian Nations banks from 2010 to 2013, using an integrated three‐stage approach on financial criteria that emulates the CAMELS rating system. More precisely, fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used first to assess the relative weights of a number of criteria related to capital adequacy (C), asset quality (A), management quality (M), earnings (E), liquidity (L), and sensitivity to market risk (S) based on the opinion of 88 Association of Southeast Asian Nations experts. Then, these weights are used as technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution inputs to assess their relative efficiency. Lastly, neural networks are combined with technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution results to produce a model for banking performance with effective predictive ability. The results reveal that contextual variables have a prominent impact on efficiency. Specifically, parsimony in equity leveraging derived from Islamic finance principles may be the underlying cause in explaining higher efficiency levels.     

Synthesis and characterization of the polyols by air oxidation of soybean oil and its effect on the morphology and dynamic mechanical properties of poly(vinyl chloride) blends

The use of natural additives, with low toxicity and good compatibility, for PVC is becoming increasingly attractive. In this study, soybean oil additives were prepared by air oxidation reactions and blending with PVC. The oxidation reaction produced a significant increase in the number of hydroxyl groups in soybean oil; however, this kind of reaction results in the formation of a heterogeneous structure due to free radical reactions in the medium. The oxidized soybean oil improved the compatibility with PVC due to an increase in the number of polar groups, such as hydroxyls, and thus a reduction in the amount of atactic polymer was observed. Furthermore, an increase in the molecular weight of the oxidized oil, as well as large amounts of polar groups contributes to reducing the migration of oil in the PVC. Regarding the crystallinity of PVC, the use of pure and oxidized soybean oil causes small changes in the crystalline phase of the polymer. Oxidized soybean oil has great potential for usage as a secondary plasticizer for PVC. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42102.     

Pseudorandom rectangular scan system with uniform frame density

A new method for pseudorandom scanning of a rectangular frame is described. The system employs feedback shift registers and reversible counters. The scanning density is uniform over the whole area. The scan path is a dotted line that can be changed from relatively smooth to more warped configurations. The periodicity of this pseudorandom line can be made as long as desired and can be repeated starting from any preselected initial condition.     

Preparatory processes in the task-switching paradigm: Evidence from the use of probability cues.

The purpose of the investigations was to dissociate processes of task preparation from task execution in the task-switching paradigm. The basic assumption was that task repetitions have 2 advantages over task shifts: an activation advantage as a result of the execution of the same task type in the pretrial, and an expectation advantage, because participants, in general, implicitly expect a repetition. In Experiments 1-3, the authors explicitly manipulated expectancies by presenting cues that announced a shift and/or a repetition with probabilities of 1.00, .75, .50, or .25. Increasing latencies with decreasing probability for shifts and repetitions show that the expectation advantage can be equalized by preparation. However, the activation advantage represented by constant shift costs between tasks of the same probability is not penetrable by preparation. In Experiments 4 and 5, the authors found evidence that preparation involves activation of the expected task and inhibition of distracting tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Context-sensitive adjustments of cognitive control: Conflict-adaptation effects are modulated by processing demands of the ongoing task.

Dynamic adjustments of cognitive control in response to interference from irrelevant stimulus attributes have repeatedly been shown. The purpose of the current research was to investigate how these control adjustments are modulated by the processing demands of a primary task. To this end, the authors combined a primary task (a number comparison task: classifying digits as smaller or larger than 5) with a Simon task. Control adjustments were observed in the form of typical sequential modulations of the Simon effect. In addition, the authors found sequential modulations of the numerical distance effect and an interaction of both effects. Results suggest that not only response conflict due to interference from task-irrelevant features but also processing demands of task-relevant features determine the level of control adjustment in the subsequent trial. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simulation of sintering of model supported metal catalysts

During the past decade, the sintering of model supported metal catalysts, i.e. catalysts consisting of metal deposited on very thin and flat oxide films, has been intensively investigated by transmission electron microscopy. In the current paper, a mathematical model, based on an atomic migration mechanism, for the sintering of these catalysts is presented. The predictions of the model, based on Monte Carlo simulations, are in very good agreement with the experimental observations, i.e. phenomena such as ‘apparent’ particle migration, splitting and neck formation between particles are predicated by the model.     

External modulators for TeraHertz Quantum Cascade Lasers based on electrically-driven active metamaterials

We have designed, fabricated and measured electrically-driven active metamaterials which operate as external modulators for TeraHertz Quantum Cascade Lasers. The modulation is achieved by applying a voltage to the metamaterial layer which actively displaces carriers from the n-doped layer causing changes in damping and frequency location of the lowest metamaterial response. We demonstrate their operation at 2.4 and 2.8 TeraHertz and obtain a maximum modulation depth of ～60% with a large degree of modulation linearity.