Examination of the role of oxygen in the photografting of methacrylic acid on a polyethylene film with a mixed solvent consisting of water and organic solvents

The photografting of methacrylic acid (MAA) on a linear low‐density polyethylene film (thickness = 30 μm) under air and nitrogen atmospheres was investigated at 60°C in mixed solvents consisting of water and an organic solvent, with xanthone as a photoinitiator. The organic solvents used were acetone, methanol, tetrahydrofuran, and dioxane. A maximum percentage of grafting occurred at a certain concentration of the organic solvent in the mixed solvent. This was observed for the systems under both air and nitrogen. The grafting reaction under air exhibited an induction period, but the rate of grafting after the period was greater than that under nitrogen. The formation of poly(ethylene peroxide)s by photoirradiation seemed to be a factor for the accelerated photografting under air. On the basis of attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy of the grafted film, the MAA‐grafted chains of the sample prepared under air tended to penetrate more deeply inside the film than those of the sample prepared under nitrogen. The resulting grafted films exhibited a pH‐responsive character: the grafted films shrank in an acidic medium but swelled in alkaline medium. This was evaluated from measurements of dimensional changes in the grafted films. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 992–998, 2003     

Combination of Hargreaves method and linear regression as a new method to estimate solar radiation in Perlis, Northern Malaysia

The best way to obtain the solar radiation data of a particular place of interest (POI) is to measure at the specific site continuously and accurately over the long term. However, due to financial, maintenance, calibration requirement of the measuring equipment or institutional limitations, these data are absent, incomplete or inaccessible in most areas of the world. Based on meteorological data from Chuping Station, Perlis which is at Northern Malaysia, there were several missing data of solar radiation for the year 2007 and 2008. This paper presents a new method to estimate the solar radiation which is a combination of Hargreaves method and linear regression. Normally, both regression coefficients, a and b of the linear regression are found based on the measured data, but using the proposed method, both regression coefficients based on the Hargreaves method with the correlated parameter, x is the difference of daily temperature. This paper also presents the basic knowledge of Hargreaves method before the proposed method is implemented. As validation, those solar radiation data that are measured by Chuping Station for the year 2006 and by Electrical Energy and Industrial Electronic System (EEIES) Cluster Station for the month of March–June 2011 and their estimated solar radiation data are compared and analyzed using coefficient of residual mass (CRM), root mean squared error (RMSE), Nash–Sutcliffe equation (NSE) and percentage error (e). The statistical analysis of the average monthly measured solar radiation data for the past 26 years (1979–2006) is compared with the estimated solar radiation data for 3 years (2006–2008). The proposed method result shows that the value of CRM is closer to zero which indicates that the proposed method is perfectly estimated, the values of RMSE are low value, this indicates that the method performs well, the value of NSE is closer to 1 which indicates that the estimated solar radiation match perfectly with the measured data taken for the past 26 years, the value of e is closer to zero which indicates that the proposed method is acceptable and applicable.     

A Fully Autonomous Microrobotic Endoscopy System

In this paper, design of an autonomous microrobotic endoscopy system is presented. The proposed microrobotic endoscope is a vision-guided device, developed to facilitate navigation inside a human colon. The design of the entire system is divided into three areas viz. design of a microrobotic carrier, path planning and guidance, and an off-board control system. A microrobotic design based on pneumatic mechanisms to achieve locomotion and steering is explained. General mathematical analysis governing the differential steering of the robotic tip is also described. The path planning of the microrobot is carried out based on the sensory fusion utilising the quantitative parameters from the captured images and the tactile sensors. A real-time image segmentation scheme is described for extracting the lumen from endoscopic images. An off-board control system to control the directional movements of the microrobot is also explained. The proposed endoscopy system was tested with physical models and animal colons and the experimental observations are presented.     

采用剪切弯曲三角杆的对称冷弯型钢-混凝土组合梁的大比例试验

对对称冷弯型钢-混凝土组合梁进行静力受弯试验,介绍了基于剪切弯曲杆改进的剪切弯曲三角杆。冷弯型钢构件比热轧构件更薄,不允许焊接栓钉剪力连接件,剪切弯曲三角杆能解决这一问题。将两个冷弯型钢槽的背靠背连接成对称构件,它在静力作用下具有足够的强度和刚度。通过剪切弯曲三角杆的抗剪方程计算的抗弯承载值与试验数据很吻合。     

Large-scale test of symmetric cold-formed steel (CFS)-concrete composite beams with BTTST enhancement

A new connection device, based on bent-up tab shear transfer enhancement called bent-up triangular tab shear transfer (BTTST), has been studied through a symmetric cold-formed steel (CFS)-concrete composite beam subjected to a static bending test. BTTST provides an alternative connector system unique to CFS where CFS sections are usually thinner than hot-rolled sections and welding of headed-stud shear connectors is inapplicable. Coupled with the back-to-back arrangement of two CFS channels where symmetricity of the built-up section is restored, the resulting composite floor system has been proven to possess adequate strength and stiffness properties under static loads. The work has shown that the predicted values of the flexural capacities calculated using a new equation of shear capacity of BTTST agrees reasonably well with the experimental values.     

Locomotion techniques for robotic colonoscopy.

Colonoscopy has become a routine procedure in many hospitals all over the world for colon cancer diagnosis. This review article discusses the work done by researchers in the quest to automate the colonoscopy procedure. In vitro and in vivo experimentation have been carried out to prove the possibilities of a robot crawling along a patient's colon, treating polyps as they are encountered. Locomotion is an essential part of robotic colonoscopy. The robot must be able to propel itself from the anus right up to the cecum without damaging the colon walls. The challenge is to design a robust locomotion technique that is able to advance through the stretchable, slippery, and mobile colon, which is always in its collapsed stage, in three-dimensional orientation. The authors believe that in the future, conventional colonoscopy will be revolutionized, giving way to robotics to assist doctors in colonoscope manipulation and performing therapeutic procedures and leaving doctors to concentrate on the diagnostic aspect of the procedure, which would encourage mass screening as more patients can be evaluated per session.     

On a simple triangular reissner/mindlin plate element based on incompatible modes and discrete constraints

In this paper the formulation of a new triangular element based on the Reissner/Mindlin plate theory is presented. The element has three nodes and three d.o.f. per node only. It is based on constant bending modes plus incompatible energy orthogonal higher order bending modes. The transverse shear effects are represented using the moment equilibrium and the constitutive equations. Discrete (collocation) shear constraints are considered on each side to relate the kinematical and the independent shear strains. The element has a proper rank, is completely locking free, passes all constant patch-tests exactly. The detailed numerical evaluation shows that the element, called DST-BK, is a robust and high-performance element for thick and thin plates.     

Test of shear transfer enhancement in symmetric cold-formed steel-concrete composite beams

An experimental programme was conducted to study the strength and behaviour of a bent-up tab shear transfer enhancement. Sixty eight push-out test specimens of cold-formed steel lipped channel sections (CFS) embedded in concrete planks which make use of the new proposed shear transfer enhancement called bent-up triangular tab shear transfer (BTTST) were tested in this programme. This paper summarises the results of the experimental study and develops an expression in order to predict the innovative shear transfer enhancement mechanism, BTTST in a new type of precast composite beam comprising CFS embedded in a precast concrete plank. The results show that specimens employed with shear transfer enhancements increase the shear capacities of the specimens as compared to those relying only on a natural bond between cold-formed steel and concrete. In this investigation, BTTST provided better performance in terms of strength. Furthermore the effects of different angles and sizes for BTTST, different thickness for CFS and different strengths for concrete are also discussed. It is concluded that the proposed shear transfer enhancement has sufficient strength and is also feasible.     

Photografting of N‐isopropylacrylamide on polyethylene film in mixed solvents composed of water and organic solvent

The effects of a mixed solvent consisting of water and organic solvents such as acetone and methanol on the photografting (λ > 300 nm) of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) on linear low‐density polyethylene film (thickness = 30 μm) was investigated at 30°C and 60°C. Xanthone, which had been coated on the film, was used as a photoinitiator. The photografting initiated even in the system at 30°C by using a longer irradiation time. It was found that the maximum percentage of grafting was attained at a certain concentration of organic solvent in the mixed solvent, which shifted to a lower concentration of organic solvent in the system at 60°C compared with the system at 30°C. It was found that the grafted chains of the sample prepared in the system with the higher polymerization temperature and the use of mixed solvent penetrated into the center of the film compared with the sample prepared in the system with the lower polymerization temperature and use of a water solvent. Moreover, the NIPAAm‐grafted films exhibited temperature responsiveness, swelling and shrinking in water at 0°C and 50°C, respectively. The extent of this characteristic was found to be closely related to the location of the grafted chains in film substrate, which was measured by an attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscope and a scanning electron microscope. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 458–463, 2003     

Photografting of N‐isopropylacrylamide and glycidyl methacrylate binary monomers on polyethylene film: Effect of mixed solvent consisting of water and organic solvent

Photografting (λ > 300 nm) of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) binary monomers (NIPAAm/GMA) on low‐density polyethylene film (thickness = 30 μm) was investigated at 60°C using mixed solvent consisting of water and an organic solvent such as acetone. Xanthone was used as a photoinitiator by coating it on the film surfaces. A maximum percentage of grafting was observed at a certain concentration of acetone in the mixed solvent, which was commonly observed for both ratios of NIPAAm/GMA, 8/2 and 7/3. Based on the photografting of NIPAAm/GMA on xanthone‐coated film, monomer reactivity ratios of NIPAAm (r₁) and GMA (r₂) were calculated using the Fineman–Ross method. The values were 0.31 ± 0.1 and 4.8 ± 0.2 for the water solvent system, while they were 0.96 ± 0.1 and 4.9 ± 0.1 for the mixed solvent system. NIPAAm/GMA‐grafted films with a homogeneous distribution of grafted chains were formed by photografting using water and mixed solvents. The NIPAAm/GMA‐grafted films exhibited temperature‐responsive characters, whereas the grafted films showed a reversible change in the degree of swelling between 0 and 50°C, respectively. Epoxy groups in the grafted poly(NIPAAm/GMA) chains could be aminated with ethylenediamine in N,N′‐dimethylformamide at 70°C for 3 h. Complexes of the aminated NIPAAm/GMA‐grafted chains with cupric ion exhibited catalytic activity for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide at 20 to 50°C. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 2469–2475, 2005