Using filament stretching rheometry to predict strand formation and “processability” in adhesives and other non-Newtonian fluids

The spinning of polymeric fibers, the processing of numerous foodstuffs and the peel and tack characteristics of adhesives are all associated with the formation, stability and, ultimately, the longevity of thin fluid `strands'. This tendency to form strands is usually described in terms of the tackiness of the fluid or by heuristic concepts such as `stringiness' (Lakrout et al. J Adhesion 1999). The dynamics of such processes are complicated due to spatially and temporally non-homogeneous growth of extensional stresses, the action of capillary forces and the evaporation of volatile solvents. We describe the development and application of a simple instrument referred to as a microfilament rheometer (MFR) that can be used to readily differentiate between the dynamical response of different pressure-sensitive adhesive fluid formulations. The device relies on a quantitative observation of the rate of extensional thinning or `necking' of a thin viscous or viscoelastic fluid filament in which the solvent is free to evaporate across the free surface. This high-resolution measurement of the radial profile provides a direct indication of the ultimate time to break up of the fluid filament. This critical time is a sensitive function of the rheological properties of the fluid and the mass transfer characteristics of the solvent, and can be conveniently reported in terms of a new dimensionless quantity we refer to as a processability parameter P. We demonstrate the usefulness of this technique by presenting our results in the form of a case study in which we measure the visco-elasto-capillary thinning of slender liquid filaments for a number of different commercial polymer/solvent formulations and relate this to the reported processing performance of the materials. We also compare the MFR observations with the prediction of a simple 1D theory derived from the governing equations that model the capillary thinning of an adhesive filament. Received: 22 December 1999/Accepted: 4 January 2000     

The structure of some classes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis>-contact manifolds

We study projective curvature tensor in K-contact and Sasakian manifolds. We prove that (1) if a K-contact manifold is quasi projectively flat then it is Einstein and (2) a K-contact manifold is ξ-projectively flat if and only if it is Einstein Sasakian. Necessary and sufficient conditions for a K-contact manifold to be quasi projectively flat and φ-projectively flat are obtained. We also prove that for a (2n + 1)-dimensional Sasakian manifold the conditions of being quasi projectively flat, φ-projectively flat and locally isometric to the unit sphere S ²ⁿ⁺¹ (1) are equivalent. Finally, we prove that a compact φ-projectively flat K-contact manifold with regular contact vector field is a principal S ¹-bundle over an almost Kaehler space of constant holomorphic sectional curvature 4.     

Photophysics of 9-aminoacridinium hydrochloride

The steady state and time domain spectroscopy of 9-aminoacridinium hydrochloride have been studied. 9-aminoacridine (I), 9-aminoacridinium (II) and the double protonated ion (III) follow Waterman’s principle with respect to their spectra and lifetimes. It is established that the excimer formation in (II) is from the ground state dimers which undergo either thermally-activated radiationless excimer conversion or a geometrical rearrangement in the excited state at room temperature. The quenching of monomer emission by dimers or foreign quenchers (KI) is found to be of transient nature as suggested by the continuum model. The authors felicitate Prof. D S Kothari on his eightieth birthday and dedicate this paper to him on this occasion.     

Ultrasonic and Thermophysical Properties of Cobalt Nanowires

Acoustical Physics - We have estimated elastic, mechanical, thermal and ultrasonic properties, in high temperature regime, of cobalt nanowires (Co-NWs) having a hexagonal close-packed (HCP)...     

Colloidal gold probe based rapid immunochromatographic strip assay for cortisol

A rapid and semi-quantitative immunochromatographic strip (ICS) test for cortisol analysis in serum was developed. The test strip was based on a competitive assay format. Colloidal gold nanoparticles were synthesized and coupled with cortisol-3-carboxymethyloxime-adipic acid dihydrazide-bovine serum albumin (F-3-CMO-ADH-BSA) antigen to directly compete with cortisol in human serum samples. F-3-CMO-ADH-BSA-gold label and uncoupled colloidal gold nanoparticles were appropriately characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Anticortisol antibody raised against F-3-CMO-BSA immunogen in New Zealand white rabbits was coated on the NC membrane as test line. Anti-BSA antibody was used as control line. The lower detection limit of the ICS test was 30 ngmL(-1) with visual detection and was completed in 10 min. About 30 human serum samples were also analyzed by the developed strip test and their range of cortisol concentration was established. The developed ICS test is rapid, economic and user friendly.     

Recovery and pre-concentration of americium (III) from dilute acid solutions using an emulsion liquid membrane containing di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) as extractant

Radiochemical results of U isotopes (²³⁴U, ²³⁵U and ²³⁸U) and their activity ratios are reported for well waters as local sources of drinking waters collected from the ten settlements around the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS), Kazakhstan. The results show that ²³⁸U varies widely from 3.6 to 356 mBq/L (0.3–28.7 μg/L), with a factor of about 100. The ²³⁸U concentrations in some water samples from Dolon, Tailan, Sarzhal and Karaul settlements are comparable to or higher than the World Health Organization’s restrictive proposed guideline of 15 μg (U)/L. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios in the measured water samples are higher than 1, and vary between 1.1 and 7.9, being mostly from 1.5 to 3. The measured ²³⁵U/²³⁸U activity ratios are around 0.046, indicating that U in these well waters is of natural origin. It is probable that the elevated concentration of ²³⁸U found in some settlements around the SNTS is not due to the close-in fallout from nuclear explosions at the SNTS, but rather to the intensive weathering of rocks including U there. The calculated effective doses to adults resulting from consumption of the investigated waters are in the range 1.0–18.7 μSv/y. Those doses are lower than WHO and IAEA reference value (100 μSv/y) for drinking water.     

Assessment of natural uranium and 226Ra concentration in ground water around the uranium mine at Narwapahar, Jharkhand, India and its radiological significance

A brief study on dissolved radionuclides in aquatic environment, especially in ground water, constitutes the key aspect for assessment and control of natural exposure. In the present study the distribution of natural uranium and ²²⁶Ra concentration were measured in ground water samples collected within a 10 km radius around the Narwapahar uranium mine in the Singhbhum thrust belt of Jharkhand, India in 2007–2008. The natural uranium content in the ground water samples in this region was found to vary from 0.1 to 3.75 μg L^?1 with an average of 0.87 ± 0.73 μg L^?1 and ²²⁶Ra concentration was found to vary from 5.2 to 38.1 mBq L^?1 with an average of 13.73 ± 7.34 mBq L^?1. The mean annual ingestion dose due to intake of natural uranium and ²²⁶Ra through drinking water pathway to male and female adults population was estimated to be 6.55 and 4.78 μSv y^?1, respectively, which constitutes merely a small fraction of the reference dose level of 100 μSv y^?1 as recommended by WHO.     

Engineering of hydrophilic and plasmonic properties of Ag thin film by atom beam irradiation

Hydrophilic Ag nanostructures were synthesized by physical vapour deposition of 5 nm Ag thin films followed by irradiation with 1.5 keV Ar atoms. Optical absorbance measurements show a characteristic surface plasmon resonance absorption band in visible region. A blue-shift in absorbance from 532 to 450 nm is observed with increasing fluence from 1 × 10¹⁶ to 3 × 10¹⁶ atoms/cm². Atomic force microscopy was performed for the pristine and irradiated samples to study the surface morphology. The atom beam irradiation induced sputtering and surface diffusion lead to the formation of plasmonic surface. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy of the pristine and irradiated film indicates that metal content in the film decreases with ion fluence, which is attributed to the sputtering of Ag by Ar atoms. The contact angle measurement demonstrates the possibility of engineering the hydrophilicity by atom beam irradiation.