Compatibilized PP/EPDM/PA6 ternary blends: extended morphological studies

Polypropylene (PP)/polyamide6 (PA6)/ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) (70/15/15) ternary polymer blends compatibilized with maleic‐anhydride‐grafted EPDM (EPDM‐g‐MA) were prepared by melt blending using a twin‐screw extruder (TSE) in different processing conditions (barrel temperature profile, screw speed, and mixing sequence). The microstructures of prepared ternary blends were studied and compared to the predictions of spreading coefficient, minimum relative interfacial energy (RIE), and dynamic interfacial energy phenomenological models. The observed morphologies were somehow different from the model predictions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimal prediction of human postural response under anterior–posterior platform tilting

Previous studies have suggested that human beings movements can be related to the problem of cost function minimization. But at the present time it is not clear that which objective function(s) and constraints are used by central nervous system (CNS) to produce optimal reactions under perturbations. Present study has been done experimentally and by numerical simulations to explore the stability constraints which should be used in combination with energy based cost function (weighted minimum torque) to estimate the motor planning criterion is used by CNS for disturbance rejections. The influence of three stability criterions (ZMP, extrapolated center of mass and a vertical force criterion) in combination with minimum torque model on the optimal trajectory formation is investigated. First, the response of 10 male healthy persons to platform oscillation was recorded by motion analysis system and the hip, knee and ankle angular trajectories were derived from recorded data. Second, the dynamic simulation of a four-segment, three actuated degrees of freedom mechanical model of the human body was performed using predictive dynamic method which leads to an optimization problem. The simulated trajectories were then compared to the experimental data. With comparison between experimental results, the weighting coefficients of the objective function were found to achieve best estimation. It was seen that the minimum torque objective function with weighting coefficients gives trajectories that are mostly matched with experimental observation. Moreover, the results showed that between stability criterions, the ZMP predictions are near to experimental results. Although by using vertical force criterion some nearness to experimental results are lost (in comparison with ZMP criterion) but a secured flat-foot posture for the model is obtained which this posture is more applicable than others in humanoid implementations.     

Study of fusion cross-section in heavy-ion fusion-fission reactions at around fusion barrier energies using the Langevin dynamical approach

The neutron detector with ³He -filled counters placed in the focal plane of the VASSILISSA separator is used for measuring the average number and determining the multiplicity distribution of prompt neutrons from the spontaneous fission of heavy short-lived isotopes. The test reaction $\ensuremath \mathrm{{}^{48}Ca}+\mathrm{{}^{206}Pb}=2{\rm n}+\mathrm{{}^{252}No}$ is used for tuning the separator settings and calibrating the detector system with the spontaneous fission of the ²⁵²No . The average neutron number per ²⁵²No spontaneous fission event is as large as $\ensuremath \bar{\nu}=4.06 \pm 0.12$ . The short-lived heavy isotope ²⁴⁴Fm , produced in the complete fusion reaction ⁴⁰Ar + ²⁰⁶Pb , is investigated. The average number of neutrons per spontaneous fission of ²⁴⁴Fm from the experimental data ( $\ensuremath \bar{\nu}=3.3 \pm 0.3$ is determined for the first time.     

First principle study of hydrogen storage on the graphene-like aluminum nitride nanosheet

Employing density functional calculations including an empirical dispersion term, we investigated the hydrogenation of an aluminum nitride nanosheet (h-AlN) with atomic and molecular hydrogen. It was found that atomic H prefers to be adsorbed on an N atom rather than Al, releasing energy of 21.1 kcal/mol. The HOMO/LUMO energy gap of the sheet is dramatically reduced from 107.9 to 44.5 kcal/mol, upon the adsorption of one hydrogen atom. The adsorption of atomic H on the h-AlN presents properties which are promising for nanoelectronic applications. The molecular H₂ was found to be adsorbed collinearly on an N atom and dissociated to two H atoms on Al–N bond. Calculated barrier and adsorption energies for this dissociation process are about +18.9 and ?1.9 kcal/mol. We predict that each nitrogen atom in an AlN sheet can adsorb two hydrogen molecules on opposite sides of the sheet, and thus the gravimetric density for hydrogen storage on AlN sheet is evaluated to be about 8.9 wt%.     

Chitosan-N-poly(ethylene glycol) brush copolymers: Synthesis and adsorption on silica surface

Chitosan-N-poly(ethylene glycol) brush copolymers with different degree of substitution (DS) were synthesized via reductive amination of chitosan by methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) aldehyde. Chitosan-N-MPEG copolymers were high-molecular-weight products with desirable DS; solubility and solution viscosity of those copolymers depended on the method of the synthesis of MPEG aldehyde and on DS. Synthesis of MPEG aldehyde by the use of TEMPO radical/BAIB was not suitable because of partial oxidation of methoxy groups of MPEG resulting in bifunctional PEG derivatives leading to cross-linking. Adsorption studies of chitosan-N-MPEG graft copolymers on silica surface show that these polymers adsorb in highly hydrated layers.     

Equation of State for Neutron Star Matter with the Lowest Order Constrained Variational Method and Kaon Condensation

We investigate the equation of state of kaon condensed neutron star matter using the lowest order constrained variational (LOCV) method. In this paper, we employ the AV₁₈ and AV₁₄ potentials for nucleon-nucleon interaction and use the chiral model for kaon-nucleon interaction. According to our results, the kaon condensation occurs at some density values and softens the equation of state as other techniques have shown.     

Application of SCTA methods for kinetic analysis of solid state reactions and synthesis of materials

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry -     

Adaptive low‐energy clustering in slotted beacon‐enabled IEEE 802.15.4 networks

We present, model, and evaluate a novel clustering algorithm running on top of IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensor networks operating in slotted, beacon‐enabled mode. The adaptive low‐energy clustering algorithm provides randomized sleep and randomized rotation of the cluster‐head role so as to maximize the useful lifetime of the network by improving efficiency and balancing the lifetime of individual nodes. We model the adaptive low‐energy clustering algorithm through probabilistic analysis and show that its parameters can be tuned to extend the network lifetime and reduce the delay and energy overhead imposed by clustering. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Worst-case analysis of clique MIPs

Mathematical Programming - The usual integer programming formulation for the maximum clique problem has several undesirable properties, including a weak LP relaxation, a quadratic number of...