Grafting of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers with methacrylic acid using benzoyl peroxide

The graft copolymerization of methacrylic acid onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers, by the aid of benzoyl peroxide, have been investigated. The graft yield increased up to 85°C, and then decreased with the further increase in temperature. The maximum graft yield was obtained at benzoyl peroxide concentration of 4.0 × 10^?3 mol/L. The increase in the concentration of monomer was found to increase the graft yield. The change in the graft yield was followed by the experiments carried out using different water/solvent mixtures. Also, the change in the properties of polye (thylene terephthalate) fibers grafted with methacrylic acid such as moisture regain, density, and diameter were investigated.     

Min-degree constrained minimum spanning tree problem: New formulation via Miller–Tucker–Zemlin constraints

Given an undirected network with positive edge costs and a positive integer $d>2$, the minimum-degree constrained minimum spanning tree problem is the problem of finding a spanning tree with minimum total cost such that each non-leaf node in the tree has a degree of at least $d$. This problem is new to the literature while the related problem with upper bound constraints on degrees is well studied. Mixed-integer programs proposed for either type of problem is composed, in general, of a tree-defining part and a degree-enforcing part. In our formulation of the minimum-degree constrained minimum spanning tree problem, the tree-defining part is based on the Miller–Tucker–Zemlin constraints while the only earlier paper available in the literature on this problem uses single and multi-commodity flow-based formulations that are well studied for the case of upper degree constraints. We propose a new set of constraints for the degree-enforcing part that lead to significantly better solution times than earlier approaches when used in conjunction with Miller–Tucker–Zemlin constraints.     

The effects of xanthan and guar gums on staling of gluten-free rice cakes baked in different ovens

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different concentrations of xanthan and guar gums and their blends on staling of gluten-free rice cakes baked in microwave-infrared combination oven (MW–IR) and to compare the cakes with conventionally baked ones. Gums were added at concentrations of 0.3% and 1.0%. For preparation of gum blend, 0.5% xanthan gum was mixed with 0.5% guar gum. In order to understand the staling behaviour of cakes, cakes were stored at 22 ± 2 °C for 120 h. Xanthan-guar gum blend decreased hardness, weight loss, retrogradation enthalpy and the change in setback viscosity values of cakes during storage for both types of ovens as compared to control formulation. It was found that oven type was a significant factor in affecting staling parameters of gluten-free cakes.     

Electrical characterization of the boron trifluoride doped poly(3‐aminoacetophenone)/p‐Si junction

Electrical and interface state properties of the borontrifluoride doped poly(3‐aminoacetophenone)/p‐Si junction have been investigated by current‐voltage and impedance spectroscopy methods. Al/p‐Si/P₃APBF₃/Aldiode indicates a nonideal behavior with electrical parameters (n = 3.53, ?_B = 0.82 eV, and R_s = 1.48 kΩ), which result from the interfacial layer, series resistance, and resistance of the organic semiconductor. The obtained barrier height value of the Al/p‐Si/P₃APBF₃/Aldiode is higher than that of the conventional Al/p‐Si (?_B = 0.58 eV) Schottky diode. The interface state density of the diode was of the order of 1.05× 10¹² eV^?1 cm^?2. It is evaluated that the barrier height and interface state density values of the diode are modified using the boron trifluoride doped poly (3‐aminoacetophenone) organic semiconductor. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Exergetic performance analysis of ohmic cooking process

This paper deals with the performance evaluation of ohmic cooking process by applying exergy analysis. Cylindrically shaped ground beef samples with different fat contents (2%, 9% and 15%) were used as the test material being cooked. The cooking process was conducted at three different voltage gradients (20, 30 or 40 V/cm) up to 80 °C. The effects of voltage gradient applied and the initial fat content of sample on the energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, exergy loss and improvement potential were investigated. The energy and exergy efficiency values for ohmic cooking process at the voltage gradients between 20 and 40 V/cm were found to be in the range of 0.69–0.91% and 63.2–89.2%, respectively. It was determined that the system should have been improved energetically especially for samples having high initial fat contents cooked at the low voltage gradients, since improvement potential values predicted were highest at this conditions.     

Artificial neural networks in their simplest forms for analysis and synthesis of RF/microwave planar transmission lines

In this work, the multiplayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF) neural networks in their simplest forms are employed in function approximation for highly nonlinear and complex analysis and synthesis of the most commonly used planar RF/microwave transmission lines, that is, microstrip lines, coupled microstrip lines, and basic and shielded coplanar‐waveguides. Since the analysis and synthesis processes for these systems have “one‐to‐one mapping” relations with each other, a forward model is defined for the analysis process for all these types of the planar transmission lines; on the other hand, a reverse model is also considered for the synthesis of the same lines. This reverse model is realized by swapping some of the inputs/outputs in the analysis model, and training the neural networks accordingly. Both MLP and RBF types of neural models are applied to the four widely used anisotropic and isotropic dielectric materials: PTFE/microstrip glass, RT/Duroid 6006, alumina and gallium arsenide. The results are shown to agree very well with the targets. A low‐pass filter with 30‐dB attenuation frequency at 3.5 GHz on an alumina substrate is designed by the use of a neural‐network synthesis and its resulting performance agrees well with the one using analytical formulas for the synthesis. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2005.     

The Small and Silent Force Multiplier: A Swarm UAV—Electronic Attack

At the last two decades, according to UAVs concepts and technological advances, there have been lots of unimagined improvements. Nowadays there are serious works and researches about the usage of UAVs in military operations at electronic warfare (EW) missions. But most of the work on UAV platforms is based upon the advantages of a single, big, expensive, and non-expendable platform. In this study, to get rid off the disadvantages of a stand alone platform a new concept is developed consisting of multiple UAVs with smaller dimensions, at a cheaper price and a wider coverage. According to clarify the study, firstly the EW and RADAR systems and then the swarm UAV concepts are explained. In this manner the current and previous works are pointed out and then the use of the swarm UAVs for EA in military operations is stated. Objectively, the swarm UAV concept’s advantages and some outstanding challenges to the intra-theater space have been put forward regarding the information mentioned above. As a result it is considered that the swarm UAV systems will be tasked important EW missions in the future operation theatres, as soon as the technical handicaps are solved.