Analysis of corrosion resistance behavior of inhibitors in concrete using electrochemical techniques

Reinforced concrete is one of the most durable and cost effective construction materials. However, in high chloride environments, it can suffer from corrosion due to chloride induced breakdown of the normal passive layer protecting the reinforcing steel bars inside concrete. One means of protecting embedded steel reinforcement from chloride induced corrosion is the addition of corrosion inhibiting admixtures. In the present investigation, various inhibitors such as sodium nitrite, zinc oxide, mono ethanol amine, diethanolamine, and triethanol amine have been used in concrete in different percentages. Their effectiveness was then studied using various electrochemical techniques such as rapid chloride ion penetration test, open circuit potential measurement, electrochemical impedance measurement, potentiodynamic polarization measurement, and gravimetric weight loss measurement. The results thus obtained indicate that the addition of inhibitors enhances the corrosion resistance properties.     

A Review on InGaSb Growth under Microgravity and Terrestrial Conditions Towards Future Crystal Growth Project Using Chinese Recovery Satellite SJ-10

The paper reviewed the previous microgravity experiment using Chinese recovery satellite, the in-situ measurement of composition profile in the solution by X-ray penetration method and homogeneous growth of InGaSb by temperature freezing method under terrestrial condition for making clear the effect of gravity on the growth of InGaSb ternary alloy semiconductor crystals. The previous experimental results showed that the shape of solid/liquid interfaces and composition profile in the solution were significantly affected by gravity. Based on the previous microgravity experimental results, experimental conditions were investigated to grow homogeneous In _xGa _1?xSb with higher indium composition at Chinese recovery satellite SJ-10 in near future.     

Alkylation of phenol with 1-propanol and 2-propanol over catalysts derived from hydrotalcite-like anionic clays

Vapour phase alkylation of phenol with 1-propanol and 2-propanol was carried out in a fixed-bed flow reactor over calcined magnesium aluminium hydrotalcites (MgAl-CHT) with Mg/Al atomic ratios 2, 3 and 4. MgAl 3.0-CHT showed higher phenol conversion (80% at 350C, in the alkylation of phenol with 1-propanol. Both O- and C-alkylations were found to be taking place without any skeletal isomerization of the propyl moiety, suggesting an S_N2 type mechanism. Isomorphous substitution of Mg²⁺ by Cu²⁺ or Ni²⁺ in the hydrotalcite framework resulted in the predominant C-alkylation to give 2-n-propylphenol (60–70%) with nearly 40–50% phenol conversion at 350C. When 2-propanol was used as an alkylating agent, the phenol conversion decreased over all these catalysts and the alkylation was noticed exclusively at C-centers. Comparison of the product selectivity at constant phenol conversion revealed that CuAl 3.0-CHT is more selective for 2-n-propylphenol and 2-isopropylphenol in the reaction of phenol with 1-propanol and 2-propanol respectively. The participation of a pair of acid-base sites in the calcined hydrotalcites for the alkylation reaction has been proposed. The acid-base properties of these catalysts have been examined by the decomposition of cyclohexanol as a test reaction. Analysis of the spent catalysts revealed that Cu²⁺ in CuO gets reduced into Cu¹⁺ and metallic copper during the reaction in the case of CuAl-CHT, while MgO and NiO phases of MgAl-CHT and NiAl-CHT are retained.     

A 310/spl deg//3.6-dB K-band phaseshifter using paraelectric BST thin films

Ferro- and para-electric BaSrTiO/sub 3/ (/spl epsiv//sub r//spl sim/350 and tg/spl delta//spl sim/5/spl times/10/sup -2/ at 0V) thin films were deposited by low-cost sol-gel techniques. Subsequently, the films were used for fabricating coplanar waveguide phaseshifters using tunable finger-shaped capacitors. A 310/spl deg/ phaseshift was obtained at 30GHz and 35V of tuning voltage with 3.6dB of insertion loss yielding a figure of merit of 85/spl deg//dB.     

Effects of Modified Atmosphere Packaging with Various Carbon Dioxide Composition on Biogenic Amines Formation in Indian Mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) stored at 5 ± 1°C

The profile of major biogenic amines was investigated in Indian mackerel packed in modified atmosphere for up to 12 days at 5 ± 1°C. Beheaded and gutted Indian mackerel was packed under different carbon dioxide compositions to study the effects on biogenic amines formation. The treatments were control air (C), vacuum packaging (VP), 30% CO₂/65% N₂/5% O₂ (M30C), 60% CO₂/35% N₂/5% O₂ (M60C), 80% CO₂/15% N₂/5% O₂ (M80C) and 100% CO₂ (M100C). Each amine responded differently to different CO₂ levels. After 12 days of storage, concentrations of histamine were reduced by 6.4%, 8.5%, 70.3%, 78.8% and 90.2% in fish packed under VP, M30C, M60C, M80C and M100C, respectively as compared with control air. Changes in putrescine and cadaverine showed a similar pattern. Gas mix of M30C and VP stimulated the formation of tyramine reaching 203 and 172 ppm, respectively. Higher composition of CO₂ had a significant inhibitory effect on tyramine concentration (p < 0.05). There were parallel increases of putrescine and spermidine in C, VP and M30C. No significant effect of CO₂ was observed on spermine (p > 0.05). After 9 days of storage, more than 300 ppm of histamine was detected in mackerel packed in VP and M30C; therefore, these atmospheres pose a histamine intoxication risk. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tunability of ferroelectric varactors up to 60 GHz

A TRL-multiline de-embedding technique for the determination of the electrical parameters of interdigitated varactors over a broad centimetre-millimetre band is proposed. The method is applied to voltage- controlled ferroelectric (BaSrTiO₃) varactors, which exhibit almost constant frequency dependence of the capacitance (epsiv_r~300) from 10 to 60 GHz. The capacitance ratio is ~2 for a 30 V bias offset, and the quality factor is of the order 10 at 30 V.     

Synthesis and characterization of CuO containing mesoporous silica spheres

A new series of mesoporous silica spheres containing nanodispersed copper oxides were synthesized in H₂O/EtOH/ammonia solution at room temperature. The mesoporous structures were characterised using X-ray powder diffraction and N₂ adsorption-desorption techniques. Scanning electron micrograph and transmission electron micrograph revealed that the MCM-41 particles have spherical morphologies. The DTA curve of pure MCM-41 exhibited a sharp single exothermic peak between 290°C and 340°C, while a broad peak with several shoulders in the temperature range between 180°C and 380°C was observed for Cu-MCM-41, indicating the possible complexation of Cu²⁺ with surfactants adhering to the inner surfaces of the mesopores. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of uncalcined samples revealed that Cu²⁺ ions are in an octahedral or distorted octahedral coordination with nitrogen ligands of the surfactant while in the calcined samples they are coordinated with oxygen of the MCM-41 framework. The redox properties of samples were examined by a temperature-programmed reduction and N₂O passivation method. The results indicate that CuO with increasing particle size could be formed in the mesoporous materials with increasing Cu contents, and this decreased the reducibility of the resulting CuO.     

A TRL-Like Calibration for Tunable Interdigitated BST Varactors

We report on a de-embedding technique for measuring the reflection coefficients of comblike capacitors patterned on barium-strontium-titanate (BST) ferroelectric films. The technique is derived from the thru-reflect-line calibration technique and is combined with conformal mapping to retrieve the complex permittivity of BST thin films. The accuracy of the method is demonstrated over a broad frequency for 0.3-mum-thick Ba_xSr_1-xTiO₃, with x = 0.5, in a paraelectric state, grown by a sol-gel technique. The samples are characterized up to 35 GHz and exhibit a constant permittivity of 245 plusmn 12%, which is in good agreement with the values deduced from propagation wave constants of BST transmission lines.