Numerical investigations of concrete attenuation effectiveness in various PWR shield configurations

The choise of a suitable concrete composition for a biological reactor shield often seems difficult because of the variety of available aggregates. To estimate the influence of these aggregates on concrete attenuation effectiveness, test calculations were made for power reactor shields, with extreme variations of concrete components. Concretes have been analysed with single natural (mineral) aggregates such as basalt, barite, magnetite, and serpentine; and with mixed natural aggregates such as basalt-magnetite, serpentine-magnetite, barite-magnetite, and serpentine-barite in varying proportions. The relative attenuation effectivenesses of different concretes in various shield configurations of a PWR-type reactor have been examined.     

Characterization of poly(amic acid)s and resulting polyimides bearing azobenzene moieties including investigations of thermal imidization kinetics and photoinduced anisotropy

Azobenzene‐containing poly(amic acid)s and resulting polyimides were synthesized. Polymers differed in the polymer backbone structure and the position at which the azobenzene group was attached to the polymer chain. Polymers were characterized and evaluated using Fourier transform infrared, ¹H NMR and UV‐visible spectroscopies, X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis. Polyimides revealed glass transition temperatures in the range 160–265 °C, and thermal stability with decomposition temperatures in the range 336–444 °C. The thermal imidization kinetics of poly(amic acid)s was investigated by means of DSC. Kinetic parameters, such as the activation energy (E) and the frequency factor, were estimated using the Ozawa and Kissinger models. The values of E, determined using both methods, were in the range 142.52–200.92 kJ mol^?1. The photoinduced optical anisotropy (POA) was studied in the obtained azopolymers using a holographic grating recording technique. Surface relief gratings, which appeared after light exposure, were observed using atomic force microscopy. For the first time to the best of our knowledge, photoinduced anisotropy in poly(amic acid)s was studied and compared with POA in their polyimide analogues. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Micro-cantilevers for optical sensing of biogenic amines

Microsystem Technologies - This paper discusses the functionalization of micro-cantilevers in order to bind and sense specific biogenic amines related to meat degradation (cadaverine). The...     

Application of osmotic membrane distillation process in red grape juice concentration

The osmotic membrane distillation process was applied in dehydration of red grape juice (Most de Raïm Concentrat Negre) of different concentrations (5–20 °Brix). Experiments were performed using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hydrophobic membranes of different nominal pore diameter. Red grape juice solution and concentrated calcium chloride solution (50 wt.%) were used as feed and stripping solutions, respectively. The permeate flux, the initial and the final juice concentration, the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity (TEAC) were measured for each single experiment.     

Chromophore concentration effect on holographic grating formation efficiency in novel azobenzene‐functionalized polymers

Optically active photochromic poly(amideimide)s containing azobenzene side groups in the repeating unit were prepared. The polymers were designed and synthesized specifically for this work in order to evaluate chromophore concentration effect on holographic grating recording. The poly(amideimide)s with mono‐ and bis‐azobenzene moieties were obtained via direct high temperature polycondensation and compared with respect to their ability of diffraction grating formation due to the light‐induced optical anisotropy effects. Holographic gratings were fabricated in polymer films upon exposure to an interference pattern of two polarized Ar⁺ laser beams at 514.5 nm wavelength. Different geometries of laser beams polarization were applied. It should be emphasized that although the azobenzene moieties are rigidly connected to the polymers backbone, some of polymers exhibited the unusually high light diffraction efficiency of around 40%. The created surface relief gratings (SRGs) were successfully observed using the atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM images show regularly defined and aligned grating structures. It should be stressed that the SRGs with maximum of relief height up to 260 nm in polyimide derivatives with side azobenzene group were observed for the first time. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers