Characterization and improvement of absorption and scattering by profiled architectural surfaces without specialized test facilities

A turntable apparatus and measurement procedure, based on ISO 17497-1, were developed for measuring the random-incidence absorption and scattering of surfaces, without specialized facilities. While not highly accurate, they proved adequate for determining the general characteristics of surfaces. Two original profiled wooden architectural surfaces, and a hard, flat reference surface, were characterized, and found to have low absorption and scattering. They were then modified for increased absorption by creating Helmholtz-resonator configurations, obtaining good performance at low- and mid-frequencies. They were also modified for increased scattering, in one case by creating a Schroeder diffuser. In the other case, the surface was integrated into a novel frame-array configuration, which scattered sound very well above 500 Hz.     

Inter-laboratory trials for analysis of perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoate in water samples: Performance and recommendations

The ISO 25101 (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva) describes a new international standard method for the determination of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in unfiltered samples of drinking and surface waters. The method is based on the extraction of target analytes by solid phase extraction, solvent elution, and determination by high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). For the determination of the performance of this method, more than 20 laboratories from 9 different countries participated in an inter-laboratory trial in 2006. In addition, inter-laboratory trials were conducted in 2008 and 2009 for the analysis of perfluoroalkylsubstances (PFASs), including PFOS and PFOA, in water samples by following the protocols of Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS). Overall, the repeatability coefficients of variation (i.e., within-laboratory precision) for PFOS and PFOA in all water samples were between 3 and 11%, showing a adequate precision of the ISO and JIS methods. The reproducibility coefficients of variation (i.e., between-laboratory precision) were found to vary within a range of 7–31% for surface water and 20–40% for wastewater. The recoveries of PFOS and PFOA, as a measure of accuracy, varied from 84 to 100% for surface water and from 84 to 100% for wastewater among the samples with acceptable criteria for internal standards recovery. The determined concentrations of PFASs in samples compared well with the “true” values. The results of the inter-laboratory trial confirmed that the analytical methods are robust and reliable and can be used as a standard method for the analysis of target compounds in water samples.     

The prediction of airborne sound transmission between two rooms using first-order flanking paths

Airborne sound transmission between adjacent rooms can be predicted using the Standard EN 12354-1 (ISO 15712-1), which is equivalent to a first-order approximation of statistical energy analysis (SEA). This paper analyses airborne sound transmission between adjacent rooms in a masonry building, by comparing results obtained from EN 12354-1 to SEA predictions and measurements. It is shown that the restriction of the Standard to first-order flanking paths can lead to large errors in predictions when compared to measurements and SEA results taking into account all transmission paths. This is observed both for individual flanking paths and overall transmission between rooms, for which the Standard provides results similar to those obtained by the first-order approximation of SEA. The paper also looks at possible reasons why previous studies using the approach in EN 12354 have generally shown good agreement with measurements.     

常压百级洁净度环境中SiO2薄膜稳定性

在常压百级洁净度环境下,采用三种不同折射率的SiO₂溶胶在熔石英基底上涂制四种不同薄膜,利用光学理论计算模拟了三种胶体涂制的膜层稳定性,通过实验考查了膜层光学指标随时间的变化规律。SiO₂薄膜能够显著提升光学元件透射率,但由于膜层表面的大量羟基及其多孔结构,SiO₂薄膜易吸附周围环境中的有机污染物及水分填充膜层孔隙,从而导致膜层折射率发生变化,影响膜层透射率、反射率等光学性能。实验结果发现,三种溶胶凝胶化学膜在常压百级环境中的有效期为80 d(绝对变化率小于0.1%),且三种胶体涂制的膜层稳定性由高到低依次为折射率1.19, 1.15, 1.25的膜层。     

From crystal phase mixture to pure metal-organic frameworks – Tuning pore and structure properties

In this study, a sonochemical route for the preparation of a new Hf-MIL-140A metal–organic framework from a mixture of UiO-66/MIL-140A is presented. The sonochemical synthesis route not only allows the phase-pure MIL-140A structure to be obtained but also induces structural defects in the MIL-140A structure. The synergic effect between the sonochemical irradiation and the presence of a highly acidic environment results in the generation of slit-like defects in the crystal structure, which increases specific surface area and pore volume. The BET-specific surface area in the case of sonochemically derived Zr-MIL-140A reaches 653.3 m²/g, which is 1.5 times higher than that obtained during conventional synthesis. The developed Hf-MIL-140A structure is isostructural to Zr-MIL-140A, which was confirmed by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (SR-XRD) and by continuous rotation electron diffraction (cRED) analysis. The obtained MOF materials have high thermal and chemical stability, which makes them promising candidates for applications such as gas adsorption, radioactive waste removal, catalysis, and drug delivery.