An electrochemical and microstructural characterization of steel-mortar admixed with corrosion inhibitors

The present research brings new insights on the role of admixed corrosion inhibitors in the processes of cement hydration and rebar corrosion. The admixing of NaCl and the corrosion inhibitors in fresh mortar was found to alter the morphology and microstructure of the hardened mortar at the steel-mortar interfacial region. The admixing of the inhibitors increased the risk of carbonation of cement hydrates at the steel-mortar interfacial region, but partially displaced chloride ions. Chloride and the admixed inhibitors facilitated the formation of different cement hydrates and affected chloride binding at the steel-mortar interfacial region. The admixing of all three inhibitors was found to increase the polarization resistance of steel, indicating reduced corrosion rate of the steel over 48-day exposures to salt ponding.     

Antimicrobial silica and sand particles functionalized with an N‐halamine acrylamidesiloxane copolymer

The monomer 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐(5‐methylhydantoinyl)propane (HA) was copolymerized with 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (SL) and covalently attached onto silica gel and sand particles. As a result HASL copolymer‐grafted silica gel and sand particles (HASL SGPs and SPs) were obtained. These two types of HASL SGPs and SPs provided excellent biocidal efficacy against Gram positive S. aureus and Gram negative E. coli O157:H7 bacteria when the copolymer‐grafted particles were exposed to dilute sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) solution. In a flowing water application, seven logs of bacteria were inactivated within 10 s of contact time with the particles packed into a column. The treated particles also exhibited good washing and storage stabilities. The chlorine loss during extensive flow could be recovered by further exposure to dilute bleach solution. The antimicrobial particles have potential application for use in inexpensive disinfecting water filters for slow water flows. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43413.     

Synthesis and characterization of a new conducting polymer based on 4‐(2,5‐di‐2‐thiophen‐2‐yl‐pyrrol‐1‐yl)‐phthalonitrile

A new conducting polymer was synthesized by electrochemical polymerization of 4‐(2,5‐di‐2‐thiophen‐2‐yl‐pyrrol‐1‐yl)‐phthalonitrile (SNS‐PN). Electrochemical polymerization of SNS‐PN was performed in acetonitrile/0.2M LiClO₄ solvent/electrolyte couple. Characterizations of the resulting polymer P(SNS‐PN) were carried out by cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic techniques. Spectroelectrochemical studies revealed that P(SNS‐PN) has an electronic band gap of 2.45 eV and exhibits electrochromic behavior. The switching ability of polymer was also monitored and the percentage transmittance change (ΔT%) was found as 24%. It is also found that P(SNS‐PN) is fluorescent and its fluorescence intensity enhances in the presence of cations. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Anisotropic dopant diffusion in Si under stress using both continuum and atomistic methods

In this paper we present a predictive simulation capability for dopant diffusion under anisotropic non uniform stress/strain using two different simulation techniques: continuum and atomistic Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC). Due to the different nature of these techniques, different implementations have been developed. We explain the necessity and show the details of these implementations. The continuum model uses an anisotropic tensor matrix to simulate the diffusion. For the atomistic model, diffusion is the composition of multiple hops with different rates. For each particle, a different migration rate per axis is used. The value of the rate takes into account the local stress tensor. The stress is also utilized for modeling surface point defect injection and dopant pairing. These models have been included in a TCAD simulator (Synopsys: Sentaurus reference Manual, 3rd edn., [2007]) as an extension to the already existing models. We show that both continuum and atomistic approaches predict similar behavior for boron diffusion under tensile and compressive stresses in 2D.     

The effect of glucose oxidase enzyme on wool fibres

Glucose oxidase is a type of enzyme that converts glucose into hydrogen peroxide and gluconic acid by enzymatic reaction. Glucose oxidase is widely used in industry; however, in the textile industry, glucose oxidase has only received academic interest. Previously, wool was bleached by some reducing agents; however, currently in industry, hydrogen peroxide dominates the bleaching of wool fibres. In this study, the effect of glucose oxidase enzyme treatment on wool merino fibres and dyeability properties was investigated. Wool fibres were treated with glucose oxidase enzyme, after which the whiteness index (Stensby) and yellowness index (ASTM D 1925 and ASTM E 313) were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to identify the morphological structure of wool fibres and their atomic content. The chemical damage caused by enzyme was investigated using a fluorescence and a light microscope, and the alkali solubility (ASTM D 1283) was determined. After enzymatic treatment, the wool fibres were dyed at a 2.0% concentration with reactive dyes. Dyeability (K/S) and CIELab values were assessed with a Minolta CM 3600 D spectrophotometer (D65, 10°). The washing fastness of wool fibres was investigated according to TS EN ISO 105-C06 (A1S).     

Purulent pericarditis and pericardiac tamponade in a pregnant hemodialysis patient: A case report

Bacterial pericarditis is rare in chronic hemodialysis and has poor prognosis. In this case, we report a pregnant hemodialysis patient who developed purulent bacterial pericarditis and pericardiac tamponade in the 28th week of her pregnancy, and who had delivered a healthy living baby.     

Perturbation of Wood Cellulose Synthesis Causes Pleiotropic Effects in Transgenic Aspen

Genetic manipulation of cellulose biosynthesis in trees may provide novel insights into the growth and development of trees. To explore this possibility,the overexpression of an aspen secondary wall-associated cellulose syn-thase (PtdCesA8) gene was attempted in transgenic aspen (Populus tremuloides L.) and unexpectedly resulted in silencing of the transgene as well as its endogenous counterparts. The main axis of the transgenic aspen plants quickly stopped growing,and weak branches adopted a weeping growth habit. Furthermore,transgenic plants initially developed smaller leaves and a less extensive root system. Secondary xylem (wood) of transgenic aspen plants contained as little as 10% cellulose normalized to dry weight compared to 41% cellulose typically found in normal aspen wood. This massive reduction in cellulose was accompanied by proportional increases in lignin (35%) and non-cellulosic polysaccharides (55%) compared to the 22% lignin and 36% non-cellulosic polysaccharides in control plants. The transgenic stems produced typical collapsed or 'irregular' xylem vessels that had altered secondary wall morphology and contained greatly reduced amounts of crystalline cellulose. These results demonstrate the fundamental role of secondary wall cellulose within the secondary xylem in maintaining the strength and structural integrity required to establish the vertical growth habit in trees.     

From point defects to dislocation loops: A comprehensive modelling framework for self-interstitial defects in silicon

An atomistic model for self-interstitial extended defects is presented in this work. The model is able to predict a wide variety of experimental results by using a limited set of assumptions about the shape and emission frequency of extended defects, and taking as parameters the interstitial binding energies of extended defects versus their size. The model accounts for the whole extended defect evolution, from the initial small irregular clusters to the {3 1 1} defects and to the more stable dislocation loops. It predicts the extended defect dissolution, supersaturation and defect size evolution with time, and it takes into account the thermally activated transformation of {3 1 1} defects into dislocation loops. Moreover, the model is also used to explore a two-phase exponential decay observed in the dissolution of {3 1 1} defects.     

Synthesis,characterization, and thermal degradation kinetic of polystyrene‐g‐polycaprolactone

In the present study, it has been demonstrated that polystyrene‐g‐polycaprolactone (PS‐g‐PCL) was successfully prepared by “click chemistry.” For this purpose, first, poly(styrene‐co‐4‐chloromethylstyrene) (P(S‐co‐CMS)) with 4‐chloromethylstyrene content (10%) was synthesized. Second, alkyne‐functionalized polycaprolactone (PCL) was obtained using propargyl alcohol and caprolactone. P(S‐co‐CMS) and PCL were reacted in N,N‐dimethylformamide for 24 h at 25°C to give PS‐g‐PCL. The synthesized polymer was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H‐NMR), gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The apparent activation energies for thermal degradation of PS‐g‐PCL were obtained by differential (Kissenger) and integral methods (Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, Tang, Coats–Redfern, Van Krevelen et al.). The decomposition mechanism and pre‐exponential factor were calculated in terms of Coats–Redfern method. The most likely decomposition processes of first and second degradation stages were A_n type and F₃ type, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012