Weak signal identification with semantic web mining

We investigate an automated identification of weak signals according to Ansoff to improve strategic planning and technological forecasting. Literature shows that weak signals can be found in the organization’s environment and that they appear in different contexts. We use internet information to represent organization’s environment and we select these websites that are related to a given hypothesis. In contrast to related research, a methodology is provided that uses latent semantic indexing (LSI) for the identification of weak signals. This improves existing knowledge based approaches because LSI considers the aspects of meaning and thus, it is able to identify similar textual patterns in different contexts. A new weak signal maximization approach is introduced that replaces the commonly used prediction modeling approach in LSI. It enables to calculate the largest number of relevant weak signals represented by singular value decomposition (SVD) dimensions. A case study identifies and analyses weak signals to predict trends in the field of on-site medical oxygen production. This supports the planning of research and development (R&D) for a medical oxygen supplier. As a result, it is shown that the proposed methodology enables organizations to identify weak signals from the internet for a given hypothesis. This helps strategic planners to react ahead of time.     

Layered precursors for new zeolitic materials: Synthesis and characterization of B-RUB-39 and its condensation product B-RUB-41

Condensation of layered silicate precursors leads to new, all silica zeolite frameworks. In order to introduce catalytic functionality, boron has been substituted into the silicate layer of RUB-39 in a single step synthesis process. Condensation of the silicate layer to the zeolite framework of RUB-41, RRO framework structure type, preserved B as constituent of the material. Analysis of structural details obtained from Rietveld analysis of powder diffraction data, ¹¹B and ²⁹Si NMR experiments of the as synthesized precursor as well as of the zeolite condensation product, and crystal chemical reasoning indicates segregation of B on one specific T-site. This T-site is buried in the silicate anionic layer of the precursor shielding the additional negative charge introduced by the trivalent T-atom.     

Escherichia coli contamination of the river Thames in different seasons and weather conditions

Contamination of public water ways with sewage represents a serious environmental and health risk. We monitored pollution of the river Thames by enumerating the indicator organism Escherichia coli. Samples were taken from a site in central London near Waterloo Bridge in different seasons. E. coli were quantified using a membrane filtration method, and correlated with the tidal variations of the river and meteorological data on rainfall and temperature. More frequent and severe incidents of pollution occurred in the autumn. Heavy rainfall resulted in sharp peaks of E. coli contamination that implies a potential increase of numbers of pathogenic micro‐organisms. Sixty percent of all samples were found to be in excess of the accepted upper limit of pollution set by European Union (EU) legislation for bathing water. This study demonstrated that frequent sewage pollution of the Thames results in high numbers of E. coli and incidents of detectable levels of pathogenic bacteria demonstrating the need for regular monitoring of bacterial pollution.     

A comparison of two sampling methods for global sensitivity analysis

We compare the convergence properties of two different quasi-random sampling designs – Sobol?s quasi-Monte Carlo, and Latin supercube sampling in variance-based global sensitivity analysis. We use the non-monotonic V-function of Sobol? as base case-study, and compare the performance of both sampling strategies at increasing sample size and dimensionality against analytical values. The results indicate that in almost all cases investigated here, the Sobol? design performs better. This, coupled with the fact that effective Latin supercube sampling requires a priori knowledge of the interaction properties of the function, leads us to recommend Sobol? sampling in most practical cases.     

The effect of physical aging on the embrittlement of steam-sterilized polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is known to suffer from dramatic reductions in ductility upon exposure to hot, humid environments, such as during steam sterilization. Two phenomena have been proposed to be the main causes of this embrittlement: hydrolysis and microcavity formation. The present study focuses on a third phenomenon, whose contribution to the embrittlement has until now been considered insignificant: (physical) aging. By studying the influence of steam sterilization on the tensile deformation behavior of polycarbonate, it is shown that aging actually is one of the dominant factors in the embrittlement.     

Incorporation of Very Insoluble Monomers in Waterborne Coatings

The benefits of polymerizing very insoluble monomers in aqueous media, avoiding the use of energy‐intensive procedures, by implementing two novel synthesis techniques based on the emulsifier combination in emulsion polymerization and on miniemulsification by phase inversion temperature are investigated. The performance of standalone polymers consisting of monomers, namely lauryl methacrylate, isobornyl acrylate, and 1H,1H,2H,2H‐perfluorodecyl acrylate, and of formulated binders with these monomers incorporated either through blending or in situ polymerization, is evaluated with special emphasis on their water‐barrier properties (e.g., uptake, whitening, immersion, and vapor resistance) and on their chemical resistance. The performance of the standalone polymers is found to be similar to that of polymers prepared by high‐shear miniemulsion polymerization, while the performance of the formulated binders is generally superior to a commercial coating formulation based on a binder recommended for water resistance.     

Ester-functionalized poly(3-alkylthiophene) copolymers: Synthesis,physicochemical characterization and performance in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

The introduction of functional moieties in the donor polymer (side chains) offers a potential pathway toward selective modification of the nanomorphology of conjugated polymer:fullerene active layer blends applied in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics, pursuing morphology control and solar cell stability. For this purpose, two types of poly(3-alkylthiophene) random copolymers, incorporating different amounts (10/30/50%) of ester-functionalized side chains, were efficiently synthesized using the Rieke method. The solar cell performance of the functionalized copolymers was evaluated and compared to the pristine P3HT:PCBM system. It was observed that the physicochemical and opto-electronic characteristics of the polythiophene donor material can be modified to a certain extent via copolymerization without (too much) jeopardizing the OPV efficiency, as far as the functionalized side chains are introduced in a moderate ratio (<30%) and that preference is given to side chains with a small molar volume. A range of complementary techniques – UV–Vis spectroscopy, (modulated temperature) differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis – indicated that variations in polymer crystallinity, while maintaining a high level of regioregularity, are probably the main factor responsible for the observed differences.     

Characteristics and Modification of Non-metallic Inclusions in Titanium-Stabilized AISI 409 Ferritic Stainless Steel

This study describes an investigation into the improvement of castability, final surface quality and formability of titanium-stabilized AISI 409 ferritic stainless steel on an industrial scale. Non-metallic inclusions found in this industrially produced stainless steel were first characterized using SEM-EDS analyses through the INCA-Steel software platform. Inclusions were found to consist of a MgO·Al₂O₃ spinel core, which acted as heterogeneous nucleation site for titanium solubility products. Plant-scale experiments were conducted to either prevent the formation of spinel, or to modify it by calcium treatment. Modification to spherical dual-phase spinel-liquid matrix inclusions was achieved with calcium addition, which eliminated submerged entry nozzle clogging for this grade. Complete modification to homogeneous liquid calcium aluminates was achieved at high levels of dissolved aluminum. A mechanism was suggested to explain the extent of modification achieved.     

Fabrication of dense Ce0.9Mg0.1P2O7-PmOn composites by microwave heating for application as electrolyte in intermediate-temperature fuel cells

In the present work, we report a method of fabrication of dense 10 mol% Mg²⁺-doped cerium pyrophosphate-phosphate (Ce_0.9Mg_0.1P₂O₇-P_mO_n; CMP-P) composites by microwave heat-treatment of the preformed Ce_0.9Mg_0.1P₂O₇ substrates in the presence of phosphoric acid. The composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The microwave heating at 375 °C for 5 min resulted in the formation of dense CMP-P composites which retained most of the pyrophosphate phase. The electrical conductivity was extracted from the EIS data and for the CMP-P composite prepared by H₃PO₄ loading for 10 h and microwave heat-treatment for 5 min it was found to be >10^?2 S m^?1 in 100–250 °C range with a maximum of 0.062 S cm^?1 at 190 °C, which was significant for its application as electrolyte in intermediate temperature fuel cells.