Investigation of acid–base and surface characteristics of a thermotropic semifluorinated salicylaldimine liquid crystal by inverse gas chromatography

The surface energy of a semifluorinated salicylaldimine liquid crystal has been characterised by inverse gas chromatography over the temperature range 303 to 323 K using n-alkanes, tetrahydrofurane, dichloromethane, chloroform, acetone and ethyl acetate molecular probes. The dispersive component of the surface free energy of the adsorbent surface studied was calculated according to the approaches of Fowkes and Dorris–Gray in the infinite dilution region. The specific free energy, enthalpy and entropy of adsorption of polar probes on the liquid crystal were determined. The values of the specific enthalpy of adsorption were correlated with both the donor and the acceptor numbers of the probes to quantify the acidic and the basic parameters of the liquid crystal surface. The surface of the semifluorinated salicylaldimine liquid crystal was found to show a basic nature, which determined the nature of its interaction with the polar probes.     

Effect of ultrasound treatment on steady and dynamic shear properties of glucomannan based salep dispersions: optimization of amplitude level, sonication time and temperature using response surface methodology

The present study investigated effect of different amplitude levels (40, 70 and 100%), sonication temperatures (40, 50 and 60 °C) and exposure times (3, 7 and 11 min) on steady shear properties; apparent viscosity (η), shear stress (σ), consistency coefficient (K), flow behavior index (n) and dynamic shear properties; storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″), complex viscosity (η^∗), complex modulus (G^∗) and loss tangent (tan δ) values of glucomannan based salep solution (SS) and salep drink (SD) samples. In addition, the steady and dynamic shear properties were optimized using ridge analysis in terms of amplitude level, sonication temperature and exposure times levels. Increasing amplitude level and sonication time decreased considerably the η, σ, K, G′, G″ and η^∗ values of salep dispersions (SS and SD samples). However, sonication temperature did not have a remarkable effect on these properties.     

A statistical fMRI model for differential T2* contrast incorporating T1 and T2* of gray matter

Relaxation parameter estimation and brain activation detection are two main areas of study in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Relaxation parameters can be used to distinguish voxels containing different types of tissue whereas activation determines voxels that are associated with neuronal activity. In fMRI, the standard practice has been to discard the first scans to avoid magnetic saturation effects. However, these first images have important information on the MR relaxivities for the type of tissue contained in voxels, which could provide pathological tissue discrimination. It is also well-known that the voxels located in gray matter (GM) contain neurons that are to be active while the subject is performing a task. As such, GM MR relaxivities can be incorporated into a statistical model in order to better detect brain activation. Moreover, although the MR magnetization physically depends on tissue and imaging parameters in a nonlinear fashion, a linear model is what is conventionally used in fMRI activation studies. In this study, we develop a statistical fMRI model for Differential T₂^? ConTrast Incorporating T₁ and T₂^? of GM, so-called DeTeCT-ING Model, that considers the physical magnetization equation to model MR magnetization; uses complex-valued time courses to estimate T₁ and T₂^? for each voxel; then incorporates gray matter MR relaxivities into the statistical model in order to better detect brain activation, all from a single pulse sequence by utilizing the first scans.     

Stress–strain–temperature behaviour of [001] single crystals of Co49Ni21Ga30 ferromagnetic shape memory alloy under compression

The conventional shape memory effect (SME) and pseudoelasticity (PE) in as-grown [100] single crystals of Co₄₉Ni₂₁Ga₃₀ alloy under compression are reported. The parent single crystals exhibit about 5% transformation strain at compressive stress levels as low as 4?MPa, and a pseudoelastic strain of 4.5%. Complete PE was observed in the temperature range from 35 to 285°C, along with increasing stress hysteresis with temperature. The latter is attributed to increasing number of variants and the corresponding variant–variant interactions. We demonstrate that the current material can be utilized in applications that demand high strength at elevated temperatures. Moreover, the current results also indicate the potential of this material to exhibit magnetic shape memory effect, which could broaden the scope of utility of this material upon further research.     

Assessment of strength properties of cemented paste backfill by ultrasonic pulse velocity test

Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test is one of the most popular non-destructive techniques used in the assessment of the mechanical properties of concrete or rock materials. In this study, the effects of binder type/dosage, water to cement ratio (w/c) and fines content (<20 μm) of the tailings on ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of cemented paste backfill (CPB) samples were investigated and correlated with the corresponding unconfined compressive strength (UCS) data. A total of 96 CPB samples prepared at different mixture properties were subjected to the UPV and UCS tests at 7, 14, 28 and 56-days of curing periods. UPV and UCS of CPB samples of ordinary Portland cement (CEM I 42.5 R) and sulphate resistant cement (SRC 32.5) initially increased rapidly, but, slowed down after 14 days. However, UPV and UCS of CPB samples of the blast furnace slag cement (CEM III/A 42.5 N) steadily increased between 7 and 56 days. Increasing binder dosage or reducing w/c ratio and fines content (<20 μm) increased the UCS and UPV of CPB samples. UPV was found to be particularly sensitive to fines content. UCS data were correlated with the corresponding UPV data. A linear relation appeared to exist between the UCS and UPV of CPB samples. These findings have demonstrated that the UPV test can be reliably used for the estimation of the strength of CPB samples.     

High-temperature superelasticity in CoNiGa,CoNiAl, NiFeGa,and TiNi monocrystals

The influence of the crystal orientation on the thermoelastic martensitic transformations developing under load was investigated for Co₄₉Ni₂₁Ga₃₀, Co₄₀Ni₃₃Al₂₇, Co₃₅Ni₃₅Al₃₀, Ni₅₄Fe₁₉Ga₂₇, and Ti_49.4Ni_50.6 (аt. %) monocrystals. It has been shown that the superelastic temperature range depends on the crystal orientation and reaches a maximum for [001]-oriented crystals. In monophase crystals of Co₄₉Ni₂₁Ga₃₀, Co₄₀Ni₃₃Al₂₇, Co₃₅Ni₃₅Al₃₀, and Ni₅₄Fe₁₉Ga₂₇ (at. %), segregation of dispersion particles takes place at test temperatures T > 623 K. A criterion for high-temperature superelasticity has been proposed which implies the attainment of high strength of the high-temperature phase due to a proper choice of the crystal orientation, deviation from stoichiometry, and segregation of dispersion particles. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 10. pp. 19–37. October, 2008.     

Orange Peel Derived-Nitrogen and Sulfur Co-doped Carbon Dots: a Nano-booster for Enhancing ORR Electrocatalytic Performance of 3D Graphene Networks

Herein, nitrogen, sulfur co-doped carbon dots (N,S−CDs) have been synthesized by a cost-natural fabrication method using waste orange-peel as a natural-carbon-precursor. N,S−CDs have been hydrothermally anchored to the three-dimensional-graphene-networks (3D−GNs) to boost the electrocatalytic activity by a defective surface effect. Due to the synergistic utilization of heteroatoms, and effective mass-transfer and improved transport kinetics resulting from interconnected 3D-architecture, N,S−CDs anchored 3D−GNs (N,S−CDs@3D−GNs) grant superior oxygen-reduction-reaction (ORR) activity. N,S−CDs@3D−GNs exhibit a dominant four-electron pathway (n=3.89) for ORR in alkaline media besides superior methanol tolerance and robust stability. This work opens a door for converting low-value agricultural wastes into value-added materials for utilizing in energy application.     

Structure/Property Relationships for Polyamide 6 / Organoclay Nanocomposites in the Melt and in the Solid State

Commercial nanocomposites of polyamide 6 prepared by melt compounding with organoclays were characterized by complex viscosities and relaxation time spectra derived from storage and loss shear moduli measured in the melt state at 230°C, and by wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and stretching calorimetry in the solid state. In the melt state, the decrease of ∼ 25 % (compared to the pristine sample) in Newtonian viscosity at the lowest clay loading (2.5 %) suggested a lower equilibrium elasticity modulus of an entangled melt, as the small amounts of organoclay nanoparticles acted as specific “diluents” for the initial entanglement network. However, by increasing the clay loading this effect disappeared due to the importance of strong interactions at the nanoparticle/melt interface, leading to the formation of a fairly thick boundary interphase (BI) around the nanoparticles and ending up in the build-up of an “infinite cluster” of clay nanoparticles coated with BI at the highest (albeit still unusually low) clay loading (7.5 %). In the solid state, organoclay nanoparticles proved to induce the crystallographic α → γ transformation of PA6 , while the matrix crystallinity in nanocomposites remained essentially unchanged. In the range of elastic (reversible) behavior below the apparent yield strains ϵ* , the highest Young's moduli E and the lowest linear thermal expansion coefficients α_L were observed for dried nanocomposites, while the lowest E and the highest α_L corresponded to the moisturized, pristine PA6. The endothermal process of shape distortion of the lamellar crystals was assumed to precede the onset of the exothermal process of lamellar fragmentation in the range of inelastic (irreversible) behaviour of PA6 above ϵ* . The energy balance of the inelastic behaviour of nanocomposites was dominated by the endothermal process of lamellar shape distortion.