Nonuniformity of phase structure in immiscible polymer blends

This article is focused on the phase structure development in immiscible polymer blends during melt mixing. Nonuniformity of the phase structure, i.e., the coexistence of areas containing particles with markedly different size distribution, was detected in quenched and compression molded samples of a number of various blends prepared by long and intensive mixing in the chamber of a Plasticorder. The same effect was found also for polystyrene/polyamide blends prepared in a twin‐screw extruder. It was shown that neglecting nonuniformity of the phase structure can lead to considerable error in evaluation of the effect of system parameters on the blend morphology. The reasons for the effect were discussed and it was found that inhomogeneous flow field in mixers is a plausible explanation of the nonuniform phase structure. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Pretreatment of Highly Polluted Pharmaceutical Waste Broth by Wet Air Oxidation

The preoxidation of a highly polluted waste pharmaceutical fermentation broth using wet air oxidation (WAO) has been studied as a possible method for the effective removal of organics. The applied (pre)treatment method should enhance the biotreatability of the pharmaceutical fermentation broth in terms of reduced initial toxicity and higher biodegradability. Preliminary experiments in the pilot biological treatment plant were successful only at low organic loads, whereas the system collapses at higher ones. The characterization of the fermentation broth was started by common physicochemical analysis, whereas several bioassays were used to determine its impact on biological treatment plants and the environment. Toxicity prior to and after WAO was determined using the acute Vibrio fischeri test, measurement of inhibition of O2 consumption, and the Daphnia magna acute test. Ready biodegradability of the treated and untreated broth has also been assessed. WAO experiments were accomplished in the 2?L batch reactor at different temperatures (240/280°C) and operating pressures. WAO experiments confirmed reduction of the toxicity toward microorganisms, whereas oxidized wastewater was more toxic to daphnids. Biodegradability of the oxidized broth has also been enhanced. Further work has been focused on designing appropriate combination of WAO and biological processes.     

Condensation polymerization of pyrogallol and benzaldehyde

Novolac-type polycondensation of benzaldehyde (B) and pyrogallol (P) has been carried out at 60°C, 75°C and 90°C and at B/P mole ratios of 1.5 and 3.0 using phosphoric acid as catalyst. The reaction follows a 2nd order rate law. By using GC consumption data of benzaldehyde and pyrogallol, kinetic parameters such as the overall rate constants, activation energies (E_a) and logA values are investigated. The activation energies for 1.5 and 3.0 B/P mole ratios are found as 62.3 kJ mol^?1 and 56.4 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The molecular weights of the resins determined by measuring intrinsic viscosities (25°C, THF) are in the range of 0.03 to 0.07 dL g^?1 at various temperatures and B/P mole ratios.     

Automatic playlist generation based on tracking user’s listening habits

Algorithms for automatic playlist generation solve the problem of tedious and time consuming manual selection of musical playlists. These algorithms generate playlists according to the user’s music preferences of the moment. The user describes his preferences either by manually inputting a couple of example songs, or by defining constraints for the choice of music. The approaches to automatic playlist generation up to now were based on examining the metadata attached to the music pieces. Some of them took also the listening history into account. But anyway, a heavy accent has been put on the metadata, while the listening history, if it was used at all, had a minor role. Missings and errors in metadata frequently appear, especially when the music is acquired from the Internet. When the metadata is missing or wrong, the approaches proposed so far cannot work. Besides, entering constraints for the playlist generation can be a difficult activity. In our approach we ignored the metadata and focused on examining the listening habits. We developed two simple algorithms that track the listening habits and form a listener model—a profile of listening habits. The listener model is then used for automatic playlist generation. We developed a simple media player which tracks the listening habits and generates playlists according to the listener model. We tried the solution with a group of users. The experiment was not a successful one, but it threw some new light on the relationship between the listening habits and playlist generation.     

What are the key elements of a sustainable university?

Nowadays, the principles of sustainable development are becoming increasingly important and universities are acting as agents in promoting these principles within society. In the future, universities will inevitably play crucial role in propagating these principles. This paper highlights important documents and discusses definitions of the term education for sustainable development. Elements, based on continuous feedback loop (Deming spiral) are discussed, in order to incorporate sustainability principles into university activities. The University of Maribor has been used as a case study to test the effectiveness of the proposed integration of sustainable development principles.     

Convolutional solutions of partial difference equations

A significant part of the theory of one-dimensional linear shift-invariant systems is based on the concept of weighting function (or impulse response): the output is the convolution of the weighting function with the input. This paper introduces the concept of linear translation-invariant systems and uses this notion in studying impulse response, z-transforms, and transfer functions for multidimensional systems.     

Coupling GIS with Hydrologic and Hydraulic Flood Modelling

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been recognised as a powerful means to integrate and analyse data from various sources in the context of comprehensive floodplain management. As part of this comprehensive approach to floodplain management, it is very important to be able to predict the consequences of different scenarios in terms of flooded areas and associated risk. Hydrologic and hydraulic modelling plays a crucial role and there is much to gain in incorporating these modelling capabilities in GIS. This is still a rather complex task and research is being done on the full integration of these models. Interfacing between these models and GIS may be a very efficient way of overcoming the difficulties and getting very good results in terms of engineering practice. This paper presents results based on the use of Intergraph GIS coupled with Idrisi GIS. Using these two systems substantially increased the flexibility of using GIS as a tool for flood studies. A lumped (XSRAIN) and a distributed (OMEGA) hydrologic models were used to simulate flood hydrographs. The well known HEC-2 Hydraulic model was used to compute flooded areas. These models were applied in the Livramento catchment with very good results. The computation of flooded areas for different flood scenarios, and its representation in GIS, can be used in the assessment of affected property and associated damages. This is a very useful GIS-based approach to floodplain management.     

基于移动Agent技术的QoS保障机制

介绍了移动Agent的基本特性。移动Agent可在异构的网络各个节点间自由地移动,它能感知网络的状态,监控系统并与其他Agent进行交互。IETF的IS模型采用了RSVP(ResourcereSerVationProtocol)协议对系统资源进行预留,从而达到一定程度上保障所需QoS的目的。QoS保障机制将移动agent技术与RSVP协议结合起来,通过资源预留和agent动态移动的实现可以达到更好地改善QoS的目的。     

The hydration phase and pore structure formation in the blends of sulfoaluminate-belite cement with Portland cement

Sulfoaluminate-belite (SAB) cements are an attractive class of low-energy cements from the viewpoint of saving energy and releasing less CO₂ into the atmosphere during their production. Their hydraulic activity, however, does not match that of the ordinary Portland cement (PC) and needs improvement before they can be used on their own. However, SAB cements when blended with PC have the potential to be used effectively in traditional applications as shown by this study. Mortars made with blends of SAB cements and PC, and a cement-to-sand ratio of 1:3 by weight and a water-to-cement ratio of 0.5, indicate a superior protection against corrosion of steel to those made with blends of PC and blast-furnace slag (BFSPC). The prepared mortars were stored at 20 °C for 90 days under either a 60% relative humidity (RH)-dry air, or 100% RH-wet air conditions. With further improvement in the SAB cement quality through better understanding of their characteristics, a genuine competition between SAB/PC and BFSPC can be expected in practice.