Mechanical,thermal, tribological,and flammability properties of polybutylene terephthalate composites: Comparing the effects of synthetic wollastonite nanofibers,natural wollastonite,and graphene oxide

Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) composites were prepared with 1.0 phr synthetic wollastonite nanofibers (SWN), natural wollastonite (NW) and graphene oxide (GO) to study the effect of different fillers on mechanical, thermal, tribological, and flammability properties. The properties of PBT composites are related to the size, structure, and interfacial adhesion of the fillers in PBT matrix. PBT/SWN demonstrated the highest tensile strength and Young's modulus (6% and 9% increment), followed by PBT/NW (1.3% and 7% increment) and PBT/GO (2% decrement and 4% increment). PBT/SWN gave the highest degradation temperature (409°C), followed by PBT/GO (404.7°C). The maximum enhancement in wear resistance (73%) by PBT/SWN and anti-friction performance (26%) by PBT/GO evinced the excellent load-bearing ability of SWN and the great lubricating effect of GO. PBT/NW had the lowest peak heat release rate, smoke, and carbon dioxide production rate. This study shows that PBT composites have great potential in different automotive applications.     

Failure Mechanisms of Stretchable Perovskite Light-Emitting Devices under Monotonic and Cyclic Deformations

This paper presents the results of experimental and analytical studies of the failure mechanisms of stretchable perovskite light-emitting devices (PeLEDs). The multilayered PeLED structures consist of an anodic layer of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene-sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), an emissive layer of methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr₃), and a eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) cathodic layer, which are deposited onto treated polydimethylsiloxane substrates. The intrinsically nonstretchable MAPbBr₃ and PEDOT:PSS are modified with poly(ethylene oxide). The failure mechanisms of the layered stretchable PeLED structures are then investigated under monotonic and cyclic deformations. The optical and scanning electron microscopy images show the deflection and propagation of cracks and wrinkles under applied strains. Cracking of perovskite crystal and debonding of films are also observed with increased cyclic deformation. The effects of the failure mechanisms on the optoelectronic properties of the devices are then studied. The in situ measured transmittance of the PEDOT:PSS (≈75%) reduces with increasing uniaxial strain, and then is increased close to its initial value when the strain is released. The turn-on voltage of the device increases with increasing number of cycles between 50 and 1000 cycles at 20% strain level. The fatigue lifetimes of the PeLED structures are used to explain the design of stretchable perovskite devices.     

Current Situation and Prospect of Nanometrology and its Standardization in Indonesia

As one of the emerging technologies in Indonesia, nanotechnology requires comprehensive studies of supporting infrastructures as well as the regulation that will underpin the quality of nanoproducts or nanoservices. Nanometrology is one of the most important supporting infrastructures for development of nanotechnology. This article reviews the importance of nanometrology and its standardization within the context of nanotechnology development in Indonesia. Current situation of nanotechnology development, relevant standards availability, necessity for new standards, nanometrology development and future goals have been explained. This article contributes novel insights about nanotechnology and nanometrology developments and may help the regulation body to make the policy.     

Determination of free reduced and total glutathione in wheat flours by an isotope dilution assay

Summary An isotope dilution assay (IDA) for free reduced glutathione (GSH) and total glutathione (GSH, oxidised glutathione and protein-bound glutathione) was developed and its accuracy and sensitivity were established. The new method for GSH required extraction of flour samples with a buffer at pH 4.5 containingN-ethyl maleimide (NEMI) and¹⁴C-labelled S-(N-ethylsuccinimido) glutathione ([¹⁴C]GS-NEMI), purification of the labelled and unlabelled GS-NEMI by three Chromatographic steps and assay of the specific radioactivity of the GS-NEMI isolated. Total glutathione was assayed after reduction with dithioerythritpl. Applications of the IDA indicated that the levels of GSH (16–41 nmol/g) and total glutathione (170–185 nmol/g) were relatively low in flours with low ash contents, but increased with increasing extraction grade. The level of GSH was higher in a flour obtained from kernels that were ground in the absence of gaseous oxygen. Storage of flours reduced the GSH concentration. IDA of fractions obtained from flour showed that the extraction residue, mainly consisting of starch and glutelins, contained most of the bound glutathione.

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Bestimmung von freiem reduziertem und vom gesamten Glutathion in Weizenmehlen durch Isotopenverdünnungsanalyse

Zusammenfassung Eine Isotopenverdünnungsanalyse (IVA) wurde für das freie reduzierte (GSH) und das gesamte Glutathion (GSH, GSSG proteingebundenes Glutathion) entwickelt und auf seine Genauigkeit und Empfindlichkeit überprüft. Die neue Methode für GSH erfordert die Extraktion der Mehlprobe mit einem Puffer bei pH 4,5, der N-Ethylmaleinsäureimid (NEMI) und [¹⁴C]-GS-NEMI enthält, Reinigung des markierten und unmarkierten GS-NEMI durch drei chromatographische Schritte sowie die Bestimmung der spezifischen Radioaktivität von dem isolierten GS-NEMI. Das gesamte Glutathion wird nach Reduktion mit Dithioerythrit bestimmt. Anwendungen der IVA zeigten, daß die Konzentrationen von GSH (16 bis 41 nmol) und von gesamtem Glutathion (170 bis 185 nmol/g) relativ gering waren in Mehlen mit niedrigen Aschegehalten, aber daß sie mit steigendem Ausmahlungsgrad zunahmen. Die GSH-Konzentration war in einem Mehl höher, das aus Körnern stammte, die in Abwesenheit von Sauerstoff gemahlen worden waren. Die Lagerung von Mehlen erniedrigte den GSH-Gehalt. Die IVA von Mehlfraktionen zeigte, daß der Extraktionsrückstand, der hauptsächlich aus Stärke und Glutelinen bestand, das meiste gebundene Glutathion enthielt.

     

Rainfall Pattern Forecasting Using Novel Hybrid Intelligent Model Based ANFIS-FFA

In this study, a new hybrid model integrated adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system with Firefly Optimization algorithm (ANFIS-FFA), is proposed for forecasting monthly rainfall with one-month lead time. The proposed ANFIS-FFA model is compared with standard ANFIS model, achieved using predictor-predictand data from the Pahang river catchment located in the Malaysian Peninsular. To develop the predictive models, a total of fifteen years of data were selected, split into nine years for training and six years for testing the accuracy of the proposed ANFIS-FFA model. To attain optimal models, several input combinations of antecedents’ rainfall data were used as predictor variables with sixteen different model combination considered for rainfall prediction. The performances of ANFIS-FFA models were evaluated using five statistical indices: the coefficient of determination (R ² ), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Willmott’s Index (WI), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). The results attained show that, the ANFIS-FFA model performed better than the standard ANFIS model, with high values of R ² , NSE and WI and low values of RMSE and MAE. In test phase, the monthly rainfall predictions using ANFIS-FFA yielded R ² , NSE and WI of about 0.999, 0.998 and 0.999, respectively, while the RMSE and MAE values were found to be about 0.272 mm and 0.133 mm, respectively. It was also evident that the performances of the ANFIS-FFA and ANFIS models were very much governed by the input data size where the ANFIS-FFA model resulted in an increase in the value of R ² , NSE and WI from 0.463, 0.207 and 0.548, using only one antecedent month of data as an input (t-1), to almost 0.999, 0.998 and 0.999, respectively, using five antecedent months of predictor data (t-1, t-2, t-3, t-6, t-12, t-24). We ascertain that the ANFIS-FFA is a prudent modelling approach that could be adopted for the simulation of monthly rainfall in the present study region.     

New efficient exponentially weighted moving average variability charts based on auxiliary information

Control chart is a well-known tool for monitoring the performance of an ongoing process. The variability of a process is an important parameter that may deteriorate the process performance if it is not taken care on time. In this study, we have proposed some new auxiliary information-based exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) charts for improved monitoring of process variability. We employed auxiliary information in some useful forms including ratio, regression, power ratio, ratio exponential, ratio regression, power ratio regression, and ratio exponential regression estimators. The performance of the newly developed charts is evaluated and compared with some existing charts (viz., the NEWMA, the Improved R, the Synthetic R, and the classical R charts), using some useful measures such as average run length (ARL), extra quadratic loss, and relative ARL. The comparative analysis revealed that the proposed charts outperform their counterparts, especially when there is a strong relationship between the study and the auxiliary variables. Finally, an illustrative example is provided for the monitoring of air quality data.     

Characterization of Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3 films as light and temperature sensors and its implementation on automatic drying system model

The growth of Ba_0.55Sr_0.45TiO₃ films on p-type silicon substrate with depletion and enhancement treatments have been conducted in this research. The aims were to examine film sensitivity as light sensor and value range, resolution, acuracy level, and their hysteresis as temperature sensor. The films were annealed at 800, 850, and 900 °C for 15 hours. In this work, enhancement BST of 850 °C was the best quality film and utilized as light and temperature sensors. Its implementation has been successfully conducted on ATMega8535 microcontroller-based automatic drying system model by exploiting the working principle of the BST films as automatic switch.