C/C-SiC component for metallic phase change materials

Thanks to their high energy density and thermal conductivity, metallic Phase Change Materials (mPCM) have shown great potential to improve the performance of thermal energy storage systems. However, the commercial application of mPCM is still limited due to their corrosion behavior with conventional container materials. This work first addresses on a fundamental level, whether carbon-based composite-ceramics are suitable for corrosion critical components in a thermal storage system. The compatibility between the mPCM AlSi₁₂ and the Liquid Silicon Infiltration (LSI)-based carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (C/C-SiC) composite is then investigated via contact angle measurements, microstructure analysis, and mechanical testing after exposure. The results reveal that the C/C-SiC composite maintains its mechanical properties and microstructure after exposure in the strongly corrosive mPCM. Based on these results, efforts were made to design and manufacture a container out of C/C-SiC for the housing of mPCM in vehicle application. The stability of the component filled with mPCM was proven nondestructively via computer tomography (CT). Successful thermal input- and output as well as thermal storage ability were demonstrated using a system calorimeter under conditions similar to the application. The investigated C/C-SiC composite has significant application potential as a structural material for thermal energy storage systems with mPCM.     

The Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor BML-210 Influences Gene and Protein Expression in Human Promyelocytic Leukemia NB4 Cells via Epigenetic Reprogramming

Today, cancer is understood as an epigenetic as well as genetic disease. The main epigenetic hallmarks of the cancer cell are DNA methylation and histone modifications. Proteins such as histone deacetylases (HDACs) that cause modifications of histones and other proteins can be targets for novel anticancer agents. Recently, interest in compounds that can inhibit HDACs increased, and now there are many HDACs inhibitors (HDACIs) available with different chemical structures, biological and biochemical properties; hopefully some of them will succeed, probably in combination with other agents, in cancer therapies. In our study we focused on the novel HDACI–BML-210. We found that BML-210 (N-phenyl-Nʹ-(2-Aminophenyl)hexamethylenediamide) inhibits the growth of NB4 cells in dose- and time-dependent manner. In this study we also examined how expression and activity of HDACs are affected after leukemia cell treatment with BML-210. Using a mass spectrometry method we identified proteins that changed expression after treatment with BML-210. We prepared RT-PCR analysis of these genes and the results correlated with proteomic data. Based on these and other findings from our group, we suggest that HDACIs, like BML-210, can be promising anticancer agents in promyelocytic leukemia treatment.     

Experimentelle Ermittlung der Ölströmung in tauchgeschmierten Schneckengetrieben

Forschung im Ingenieurwesen - Schneckengetriebe finden sich in verschiedenen Anwendungen als Stell- und Leistungsgetriebe. Aufgrund der Realisierbarkeit einer hohen Übersetzung bei kleinem...     

Formulating Pantone colors by unused base inks,formulation software,and a spectrophotometer

Unused base inks that are not going to be used for printing production are considered to be hazardous materials. Their disposal is expensive, and strict environmental regulations should be followed for their disposal. As an alternative, this article describes how spectral data of unused base inks can be gathered and mixed to generate new colors to incorporate them back to print production for small‐volume jobs. In this study, 30 different Pantone colors were selected as target colors. The CIE L*a*b* spectral data of Pantone colors and unused base inks were gathered via a spectrophotometer. A commercial formulation software, based on multiflux theory and CIE L*a*b* color space, was used to formulate ink recipes that contained the base inks. To quantify the performance of ink recipes, they were mixed and printed using an offset printability tester. The CIELAB ΔE*_ab metric, developed by CIE, was used to detect the visual differences between the target Pantone Color and printed colors.     

Einlaufverhalten nasslaufender Lamellenkupplungen im Schlupfbetrieb

Forschung im Ingenieurwesen - Nasslaufende Lamellenkupplungen weisen zu Betriebsbeginn eine Phase des Einlaufens auf, in der sich das Reibungsverhalten durch Anpassung der Reibflächen...     

Influence of addition of nanosize barium cerate on the microstructure and properties of top-seeded melt growth YBCO bulk superconductors

Barium cerate (BaCeO₃) is one of the possible additions to bulk YBa₂Cu₃O₇ single-grain superconductors to suppress the growth of Y₂BaCuO₅ (Y211) particles. This paper investigates the synthesis of barium cerate powder and its use in YBa₂Cu₃O₇ bulk superconductors. Crystalline barium cerate was synthesized by solid-state reaction, by co-precipitation of oxalates and by sol-gel method. Final calcination was held in air or in vacuum. It is shown that the most efficient in refining Y211 is nanocrystalline barium cerate prepared by sol-gel method calcined in vacuum. The effective refinement of Y211 particles occurred over the entire interval of nanocrystalline BaCeO₃ addition from 0.38 to 1.90 wt%. The optimal concentration of nanosize barium cerate was determined, microstructure and superconducting properties were characterized. The effect of Y211 content on trapped field in YBCO bulks with addition of nanocrystalline barium cerate is shown.     

Methoden zur Analyse des Bruchverhaltens hochfester Stahlfaserbetone

Methods for analyzing the fracture behavior of high‐strength steel fiber‐reinforced concretes High‐strength and ultra‐high strength fiber‐reinforced concretes are most suitable for applications with extreme mechanical loads. These extreme conditions require a ductile behavior under tensile loading, which is obtained solely by the addition of steel fibers and their working mechanism. Profound know ledge on the working mechanism of the steel fibers is necessary for optimizing this material. Usually, this knowledge is obtained by means of classical measuring techniques of destructive tests. Adopting measuring techniques from non‐destructive material testing helps to analyze and to identify the different stages of the fracture mechanism of high‐strength and ultra‐high strength fiber‐reinforced concretes in detail. The application of different non‐destructive measuring techniques is shown exemplary on tensile tests conducted on an ultra‐high strength fiber‐reinforced concrete and its applicability for analyzing the fracture behavior is discussed. The main focus is on the characterization of the relevant failure modes under tensile loading by the different measuring techniques and the comparison with classical measuring techniques (e. g. extensometer). The tensile tests have been analyzed by optical deformation measurements using digital image correlation (DIC), acoustic emission analysis (AE), and 3D computed tomography (CT).     

Black water and two peculiar types of stratification in an organically loaded strip-mine lake

During summer stratification a strip-mine lake in which fish were cultured in floating cages developed black water in its anoxic zone. The blackness was evidently produced by ferrous sulfide. Two types of black water stratification were observed. In one the blackness occurred throughout the anoxic zone but was more intense in the upper part, while iron and alkalinity were high throughout this zone. In the second the black water was confined to a meter-thick stratum within the anoxic zone, and iron and alkalinity were remarkably low except in two strata: the one with black water, and the one at the top of the anoxic zone.It is suggested that both types of stratification were caused by a high rate of sulfide production in the metalimnion. The relatively high temperature there (as compared to the hypolimnion) and the presumably higher concentrations of organic matter and ammonia, resulting from fish food and fish wastes, would account for this high rate of sulfide production. Because of sharp oxygen stratification two carbonate-forming processes, photosynthesis and sulfate reduction, occurred in close proximity to each other. In especially calm weather vertical density currents could be initiated by the calcium carbonate crystals and produce the second type of stratification. If the second type of stratification could be produced at will it might be used to improve the quality of strip-mine lake water.