Trajectories of knowledge economy in SSA and MENA countries

In the first critical assessment of knowledge economy dynamic paths in Africa and the Middle East, but for a few exceptions, we find overwhelming support for diminishing cross-country disparities in knowledge-based economy dimensions. The paper employs all the four components of the World Bank's Knowledge Economy Index (KEI): economic incentives, innovation, education, and information infrastructure. The main finding suggests that sub-Saharan African (SSA) and the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries with low levels of KE dynamics and catching-up their counterparts of higher KE levels. We provide the speeds of integration and time necessary to achieve full (100%) integration. Policy implications are also discussed.     

Alloying behavior and novel properties of CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy fabricated by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering

An equiatomic CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy was synthesized by mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). During MA, a solid solution with refined microstructure of 10 nm which consists of a FCC phase and a BCC phase was formed. After SPS consolidation, only one FCC phase can be detected in the HEA bulks. The as-sintered bulks exhibit high compressive strength of 1987 MPa. An interesting magnetic transition associated with the structure coarsening and phase transformation was observed during SPS process.     

Biotransformation of l‐menthol by twelve isolates of soil‐borne plant pathogenic fungi (Rhizoctonia solani) and classification of fungi

The microbial transformation of l‐menthol ( 1 ) was investigated by using 12 isolates of soil‐borne plant pathogenic fungi, Rhizoctonia solani (AG‐1‐IA Rs24, Joichi‐2, RRG97‐1; AG‐1‐IB TR22, R147, 110.4; AG‐1‐IC F‐1, F‐4, P‐1; AG‐1‐ID RCP‐1, RCP‐3, and RCP‐7) as a biocatalyst. Rhizoctonia solani F‐1, F‐4 and P‐1 showed 89.7–99.9% yields of converted product from 1 , RCP‐1, RCP‐3, and RCP‐7 26.0–26.9% and the other isolates 0.1–12.0%. In the cases of F‐1, F‐4 and P‐1, substrate 1 was converted to (?)‐(1S,3R,4S,6S)‐6‐hydroxymenthol ( 2 ), (?)‐(1S,3R,4S)‐1‐hydroxymenthol ( 3 ) and (+)‐(1S,3R,4R,6S)‐6,8‐dihydroxymenthol ( 4 ), which was a new compound. Substrate 1 was converted to 2 and/or 3 by RRG97‐1, 110.4, RCP‐1, RCP‐3 and RCP‐7. The structures of the metabolic products were elucidated on the basis of their spectral data. In addition, metabolic pathways of the biotransformation of 1 by Rhizoctonia solani are discussed. Finally, from the main component analysis and the differences in the yields of converted product from 1 , the 12 isolates of Rhizoctonia solani were divided into three groups based on an analysis of the metabolites. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Immobilization of inert TRISO-coated fuel in glass for geological disposal

Vitrification of TRISO-coated gas reactor fuel particles was achieved via two methods: glass melting and sintering. Inert TRISO-coated fuel particles and a borosilicate glass were used. With glass melting at 1200-1300 °C floatation and decomposition of carbon and silicon carbide occurred. Thermal pre-treatment of the particles for oxidation of pyrocarbon did not improve the coating properties of the glass. During cooling most of the particles floated and sorbed on the crucible or mold walls. The sintered glass at 700 °C showed better coating properties of the TRISO-coated fuel particles despite higher porosity compared to glass made by melting. Aqueous leaching properties of glass with particles are similar regardless the mode of fabrication, indicating the good chemical durability of the sintered glass. Sintered glasses may constitute a good technique for TRISO-coated fuel particles immobilization for an eventual deep geological disposal.     

Oxygen glow discharge experiment to remove deposited layers and to release trapped hydrogen isotopes in HT-7 superconducting tokamak

An experiment to remove re-deposited layers and to release hydrogen using a glow discharge in oxygen (O-GDC) has been performed in the HT-7 superconducting tokamak. In the absence of magnetic fields, the O-GDC wall conditioning had produced rapid, controlled co-deposit removal. Average removal rates, 5.2 × 10²² H-atoms/h, 5.65 × 10²¹ D-atoms/h and 5.53 × 10²² C-atoms/h, respectively, were obtained during 145 min O-GDC experiment in the pressure range 0.5-1.5 Pa. The corresponding removal rate of co-deposited films was ∼1.19 μm/day (26.5 g/day for carbon) based on an area of 12 m². Compared to thermo-oxidation and O-ICR experiment, high pressure O-GDC wall conditioning promoted the oxidation and improved the C and D atoms removal. In the O-GDC experiment, the removal rates of H-atoms and D-atoms as H₂O, HDO and D₂O were higher than that of H₂ and D₂ by factors of about 20 and 50, respectively. During the 145 min O-GDC experiment, about 14.5% O-atoms were converted into carbon oxides and hydroxides, and about 5.37 × 10²² O-atoms were adsorbed on the walls corresponding to a coverage of 4.5 × 10²¹ O/m² on an wall area of 12 m². In a 100 min helium glow discharge (He-GDC) following the O-GDC experiment, 1.53 × 10²² O-atoms, about 28.5% oxygen retained on the walls, were removed. The removal rate of H-atoms in He-GDC cleaning after O-GDC experiment was lower than that in He-GDC cleaning before O-GDC experiment, which indicates that the O-GDC wall conditioning had effectively reduced hydrogen retention on the walls.     

源气体流量比对F-DLC薄膜结构的影响

以高纯石墨作靶，CHF3/Ar作源气体采用反应磁控溅射法制备出了氟化类金刚石（F-DLC）薄膜。拉曼光谱表明，CHF3相对流量的增加会引起薄膜的D峰与G峰强度之比I（D）/I（G）减小，晶粒增大，芳香环结构出例下降。红外吸收光谱分析证实了这些推论，指出这是由于薄膜中氟含量上升的结果。     

Two Isomers of C60F48: Computed Inter-isomeric Equilibrium

C₆₀F₄₈ has been known to exist in two isomeric forms of D₃ and S₆ symmetries. However, the quantum-chemical calculations have not agreed on their stability order though a near-isoenergetic picture is otherwise always encountered. In order to clarify the situation, the entropy effects are evaluated for synthetic temperatures of about 500K. The entropy evaluations suggest that the D₃ isomer should be more stable in the potential energy by 2.05-2.55 kcal/mol (to which term the ab initio data are closer than the semiempirical ones).     

Thermal expansion characteristics of a titanium modified austenitic stainless steel: measurement by high-temperature X-ray diffraction and modelling using Grüneisen formalism

The thermal expansion of a titanium modified, swelling resistant austenitic stainless steel designated as D9 is studied by measuring the lattice parameter as a function of temperature in the range 300-1300 K by high-temperature X-ray diffraction technique. The thermal expansion data thus obtained is in reasonable agreement with the typical thermal expansion values reported for similar nuclear grade austenitic stainless steels. However, at temperatures exceeding 900 K, the measured thermal expansivity exhibits a pronounced non-linear increase due partly to the precipitation of complex carbide and intermetallic phases. The high-temperature thermal expansion data obtained in the present study are augmented by modelling the low-temperature thermal expansion behaviour by Grüneisen formalism.     

试谈高炉冷却壁的检漏及维护

高炉冷却壁的检漏及维护，是炼铁工作者十分关心的问题，本文针对邯钢高炉具体情况，探讨了高炉冷却壁漏水的原因，检漏方法，漏水冷却壁的维护及预防措施。     

包钢氟污染治理成效及对策

本文介绍了包钢历年来氟污染治理成效以及控制外排氟总量达标的具体措施.