SERRATED CHIP PREDICTION IN FINITE ELEMENT MODELING OF THE CHIP FORMATION PROCESS

A 2D Finite Element Model set up using the Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (A.L.E) formulation proposed in Abaqus/Explicit (v6.4) is employed to predict serrated chip formation during cutting process. No artificial criterion is employed to create the chip or to initiate serrated chip formation. The sensitivity of serrated chip prediction to numerical and process parameters is analyzed in this paper. Experimental tests in orthogonal cutting conditions on machining of AISI-4140 with coated and uncoated cemented-carbide inserts were carried out to validate numerical results. They showed significant influence of cutting speed and rake angle on the serrated chip phenomena. The comparison between numerical and experimental results showed a good qualitative agreement and underlined the outstanding influence of the element dimensions employed in Finite Element Modeling (F.E.M.) tests.     

Nonstarter lactobacilli isolated from soft and semihard Argentinean cheeses: genetic characterization and resistance to biological barriers

Nonstarter lactic acid bacteria isolated from Argentinean cheeses were identified and characterized by focusing on their resistance to biological barriers, along with other physiological features of potential interest, in the search for future probiotic organisms. Lactobacilli were enumerated and isolated from semihard and soft cheeses made with multistrain Streptococcus thermophilus starters. Lactobacilli counts in 1-week-old cheeses were between 10(5) and 10(7) CFU/g and then reached 10(7) CFU/ g in all 1-month samples, while streptococci were always above 10(9) CFU/g. A total number of 22 lactobacilli isolates were retained, identified, and characterized by in vitro tests. Species identity was determined by carbohydrate metabolism and species-specific PCR assays. Genetic diversity was explored by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR analysis. The Lactobacillus strains were assigned to the species L. casei, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. curvatus, L. fermentum, and L. perolens. All the strains studied tolerated 25 ppm of lysozyme, and most of them showed resistance to 0.3% bile. After incubation in gastric solution (pH 2.0), counts decreased by several log units, ranging from 3.2 to 7.0. The strains were able to grow in the presence of bile salts, but only three isolates were capable of deconjugation. The nonstarter lactobacilli that were assayed fermented the prebiotic substrates (especially lactulose and inulin). Some strains showed high cell hydrophobicity and beta-galactosidase activity, as well as inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria. It was concluded that most of the lactobacilli isolated in this study demonstrated resistance to biological barriers and physiological characteristics compatible with probiotic properties, which make them suitable for further research in in vivo studies aimed at identifying new probiotic organisms.     

Effect of the degree of muscle oxidation on sticking and degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layers in electrolytic chromium coated steels

The sticking of postmortem salmon to the container wall surface protected by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer was evaluated. The study focused on the effects of biochemical changes of postmortem salmon on the coating and how muscle degradation inside the food can, resulting from the thermal treatment and storage, favor sticking to the food container. The experimental design consisted of a set of manufactured food cans stored for up to fourteen months which were submitted to chemical and physical tests of food-contact canning to evaluate the sticking, and to treatment with urea solution to minimize the amount of muscle residues. The characterization of changes in the multilayer was performed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The degradation of the muscle–polymer system was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. The results showed the existence of denatured muscle proteins firmly sticking to the PET surface over time and the adverse effects of urea leading to chemical changes and molecular rearrangements in the polymer coating altering its functionality as a protective layer in canned salmon, limiting thereby the potential use of PET as a recyclable input in other applications.     

Robust trend parameters in a multivariate spatial linear model

This article gives a robust estimator of the trend parameters in multivariate spatial linear models. This estimator is presented as an alternative to the classical one which is obtained by using cokriging. The goal focuses on improving predictions of spatial variables when data contain both atypical and high influence observations. The procedure consists of extending robust methods used in linear regression models to the multivariate spatial context. The resulting estimator belongs to the class of GM-estimators and then, it is a bounded influence estimator and it has good robust properties, in particular, a high breakdown point and a high efficiency. An illustrative example is given to show how the proposed estimator works. Research partially supported by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, Project AGL2000-0978.     

Control of C.I. Basic Violet 10 aggregation in aqueous solution by the use of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)

The aggregation behavior of C.I. Basic Violet 10 in the presence of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) was modified, as a consequence of short-range interactions. In aqueous acidic media, the cationic dye forms hydrophobic ion pairs with polymeric benzene sulfonate groups which tend to aggregate in H-contacts, this tendency being readily influenced by the relative concentration of the macromolecule with respect to that of the dye. In the case of dilute aqueous dye solutions (≤10^?4 M), for which the probability of dye self-aggregation is small, C.I. Basic Violet 10 self-contacts are forced in the presence of a moderate excess of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate). At dye concentrations >10^?4 M, for which the probability of dye self-aggregation increases, dye-dye contacts are minimized in the presence of a large excess of the polymer. Hence, the luminescence of dye solutions can be tuned insorar as, that of dilute dye solutions is quenched whilst that of concentrated dye solutions can be enhanced. This behavior was not observed for other polyelectrolytes such as poly(sodium vinylsulfonate), or the more hydrophobic poly(sodium 2-(N-acrylamido)-2-methyl-propanesulfonate).     

Electrodeposition of CuInSe2 thin films in a glycine acid medium

CuInSe₂ polycrystalline thin films were potentiostatically electrodeposited on titanium and conducting glass substrates from an aqueous solution containing CuCl₂, InCl₃, SeO₂ in a glycine acid medium, pH around 2 adjusted with HCl. The effect of adding EDTA as a complexing agent was also studied. These films were then submitted to different post-deposition treatments: annealing at temperatures up to about 400°C in an Ar flowing stream, chemical etching in a 0.5 M KCN solution and in some cases room temperature air oxidation. The as-grown and treated layers were characterized by X-ray energy dispersive analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and photoelectrochemical studies. Annealing improves the crystallinity of electrodeposited films and the effective grain size increased, resulting in the formation of CuInSe₂ chalcopyrite structure. Photoelectrochemical measurements of the films revealed p-type behaviour, and better photoresponse was observed for the films obtained from EDTA based solutions. Room temperature air oxidation of the CuInSe₂ films improves the photocurrent response.     

Layered double hydroxides as carriers for quantum dots@silica nanospheres

Quantum dot-hydrotalcite layered nanoplatforms were successfully prepared following a one-pot synthesis. The process is very fast and a priori delamination of hydrotalcite is not a prerequisite for the intercalation of quantum dots. The novel materials were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, true color fluorescence microscopy, photoluminescence, and nitrogen adsorption. The quantum dot-hydrotalcite nanomaterials display extremely high stability in mimicking physiological media such as saline serum (pH 5.5) and PBS (pH 7.2). Yet, quantum dot release from the solid structure is noted. In order to prevent the leaking of quantum dots we have developed a novel strategy which consists of using tailor made double layered hydrotalcites as protecting shells for quantum dots embedded into silica nanospheres without changing either the materials or the optical properties.     

Kinetic effects in InP nanowire growth and stacking fault formation: the role of interface roughening

InP nanowire polytypic growth was thoroughly studied using electron microscopy techniques as a function of the In precursor flow. The dominant InP crystal structure is wurtzite, and growth parameters determine the density of stacking faults (SF) and zinc blende segments along the nanowires (NWs). Our results show that SF formation in InP NWs cannot be univocally attributed to the droplet supersaturation, if we assume this variable to be proportional to the ex situ In atomic concentration at the catalyst particle. An imbalance between this concentration and the axial growth rate was detected for growth conditions associated with larger SF densities along the NWs, suggesting a different route of precursor incorporation at the triple phase line in that case. The formation of SFs can be further enhanced by varying the In supply during growth and is suppressed for small diameter NWs grown under the same conditions. We attribute the observed behaviors to kinetically driven roughening of the semiconductor/metal interface. The consequent deformation of the triple phase line increases the probability of a phase change at the growth interface in an effort to reach local minima of system interface and surface energy.