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The effects of different hot air speeds and temperatures on the drying characteristics of half-ripe rice paper were investigated by hot air convection drying experiments. The thin-layer drying experiments were carried out at three different combinations of air speeds of 1.97 m/s, 3.00 m/s, and 3.90 m/s and temperatures of 85 °C, 100 °C and 115 °C. The results show that among the 10 drying kinetic models selected, the Modified Page model is the most suitable model to describe the drying characteristics of the thin layer of half-ripe rice paper; the whole drying process exists obvious ascending, constant and descending processes; the effective moisture diffusion coefficient of half-ripe rice paper is in the range of 1.52656 × 10−9 m2/s–3.15816 × 10−9 m2/s, whose size increases with the increase of the hot wind speed and temperature. Its magnitude increases with the increase of wind speed and temperature; the drying activation energy of half-ripe rice paper is 6.55 kJ/mol calculated by Arrhenius equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Petroleum Research & Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Women's participation in the tourism workforce is growing intensely in response to Saudi Vision 2030. Notwithstanding this, Saudi women still have limited access to senior management positions. This study explores the barriers that Saudi women face to reach top managerial positions in the tourism industry and explores how Saudi women could crack the glass ceiling. For these reasons, this study undertook a phenomenological approach using in-depth interviews with Saudi women who were able to reach senior management. The purpose of the interviews is to explore their lived experience and their accessibility to senior management positions. The results of a thematic analysis showed that there were four overlapped barriers for the glass ceiling among Saudi women: cultural and social barriers, regulatory barriers, organizational barriers, and personal barriers. These main barriers have sub-barriers that contribute to the glass ceiling and prevent many women from reaching senior positions. This study shows that overcoming these barriers, particularly cultural and social barriers, could help Saudi women to crack the glass ceiling and achieve their dream of leadership. This study discusses the implications for policy makers, academics, and practitioners on the effective contribution of Saudi women to the tourism labor market, which contributes to sustainable tourism development and, ultimately, to Saudi Vision 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen-Bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a type of emerging porous materials. At present, little research has been conducted on their solution state. This work demonstrates that HOFs fragment into small particles while maintaining their original assemblies upon dispersing in solvents, as confirmed by Cryo-electron microscopy coupled with 3D electron diffraction technology. 1D and 2D-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and zeta potential analyses indicate the HOF-based colloid solution and the isolated molecular solution have significant differences in intermolecular interactions and aggregation behavior. Such unique solution processibility allows for fabricating diverse continuous HOF membranes with high crystallinity and porosity through solution-casting approach on various substrates. Among them, HOF-BTB@AAO membranes show high C3H6 permeance (1.979 × 10−7 mol·s−1·m−2·Pa−1) and excellent separation performance toward C3H6 and C3H8 (SF = 14). This continuous membrane presents a green, low-cost, and efficient separation technology with potential applications in petroleum cracking and purification. Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) attract increasing attention as porous materials. Despite the widely studied solid-state properties, little research has been done on the solution state. Here, the authors demonstrate that HOFs fragment into small particles while maintaining their original assemblies upon dispersing in solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting a study on this topic becomes relevant due to the great importance of the safety of critical infrastructure facilities and the presence of operational defects in equipment elements and pipelines, which poses serious threats, including the possibility of equipment destruction and negative environmental impact. The purpose of this work is to study the possibility of using the diffraction-time technique of ultrasonic non-destructive testing together with a deep convolutional neural network to accurately determine the numerical value of the height of an operational crack. The methods used include the analytical method, classification method, functional method, statistical method, synthesis method, and others. The study found that an automated approach to measuring crack height, based on diffraction signals and the use of neural networks, significantly improved the quality and accuracy of non-destructive testing. Ultrasonic testing is one of the most common inspection methods for detecting service cracks and is considered to be the most effective. It allows for reliable detection of defects and determination of their size without destroying the product. The results of the study emphasize the high potential and efficiency of the method in analysing the data obtained and provide confirmation of its applicability for determining the condition of objects during ultrasonic inspection. The paper emphasizes that these technologies are particularly important and effective. It is noted that their widespread use in various industries, such as medicine, aviation, and machine learning, demonstrates their power in solving complex problems. The practical significance of the work lies in the development of advanced approaches that provide new insights and methods to improve the efficiency of analysing the results, which can be applied in industry to improve the quality of control and reliability of technical facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of composites of two or more materials with different polarities requires the use of compatibilisers to improve interface properties. However, most compatibilisers used for industrial production are derived from the cracking products of petroleum, which is a limited resource susceptible to price fluctuations and pollutes the environment. In this study, a new compatibiliser derived from renewable plant‐oil‐based products, ESO–G–OA, was designed and synthesized using epoxy soybean oil, oleic acid, and glycerol. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that ESO–G–OA can effectively improve the dispersion of CaCO3 in a recycled high‐density polyethylene (reHDPE) matrix and reduce the interfacial gap between the two phases. The analysis of the mechanical properties showed that the ESO–G–OA‐modified composite has higher tensile and impact strength than unmodified samples. The ESO–G–OA modification improved the thermal stability and melt flow of the composite and reduced the energy consumption during processing. Moreover, the excellent compatibility of ESO–G–OA can improve the comprehensive properties of CaCO3/reHDPE composites, compensating for the performance reduction caused by the multiple processing steps necessary to obtain reHDPE. This confirmed that ESO–G–OA has promising application prospects in the production of composites requiring compatibilisers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C2+ hydrocarbons, especially C2+ olefins, as important basic chemical raw materials, mainly come from petroleum cracking. With the increasing scarcity of petroleum resources, the search for new olefins production routes has become the focus of research, and the production of olefins by the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) process has attracted extensive attention. The OCM route is an important alternative to the production of olefins from petroleum resources and is also an important direction for the development of efficient and clean utilization of natural gas. In this paper, the mechanism, catalysts, and other key factors for the production of olefins by methane oxidative coupling are reviewed. The mechanism of OCM, including the reaction pathway and the formation of intermediate products, is introduced. Then, commonly used catalysts, such as alkali metal/alkaline earth metal oxides, rare earth metal oxides, composite metal oxides with special structures, and classical catalysts Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2, and their mechanisms of action in the reaction are discussed. In addition, the application of chemical looping oxidative coupling of methane (CLOCM) in olefin production is also investigated, which is a promising alternative way due to the high selectivity of olefins and the low cost of catalysts owing to the excellent performance of the catalyst recycling. These studies will help to further understand the mechanism of OCM for olefin production and provide guidance and support for applications in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concrete deck at the negative bending moment region of a continuous steel-concrete composite girder bridge is the weakest part of the structure. Introducing ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to the hogging region may overcome the shortage and break through the bottleneck. This paper explores the cracking performance of steel-concrete composite girders with concrete slabs topped by a thin layer of UHPC subjected to a negative bending moment. A real continuous composite girder bridge is briefly introduced as the engineering background, and the cracking characteristic of the concrete deck over the middle piers of the bridge is numerically modeled. Approaches to strengthen the cracking performance of the concrete deck at the hogging region through topping UHPC overlays are proposed. The effectiveness of the approaches is examined by conducting a series of numerical and experimental tests. Numerical results indicate that the normal concrete (NC) deck near the middle forums of the bridge would crack due to the large tensile stress from negative bending moments. Replacing the top concrete with an identical-thick UHPC overlay can increase the cracking resistance of the deck under the moment. As the thickness of the UHPC overlay increased from 6.0 cm to 12.0 cm, the maximum shear stress at the UHPC overlay-to-NC substrate interface under different load combinations was decreased by 56.3%-65.3%. Experimental results show that the first-cracking load of the composite beam using an NC-UHPC overlaid slab was 2.1 times that using an NC slab. The application of a UHPC overlaid deck can significantly improve the crack performance of the steel-concrete composite girder bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible strain sensors are capable to detect external force induced strain change owing to their unique ability to convert deformation into electrical signals. Generally, micro/nano patterning of conductive layer in strain sensor is an effective method to improve its sensitivity, however the sophisticated manipulation process is limited only in laboratory scale. In this report, a simple and scalable fabrication strategy was used to create micro-cracking conductive layer as an alternative patterning method to achieve high performance of strain sensor. In details, the sensor was fabricated using leather as the substrate to filtrated acidified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (a-MWCNTs)/layered double hydroxides (LDHs) suspension. During stretching process, micro-cracking structure emerged on the percolated a-MWCNTs/LDHs layer, causing a rise up of resistance according to increasing strain and generated a detectable electrical signal. The prepared sensor had a large detecting range (60%), high sensitivity (GF of 7238.92 at strain 30–60%), fast response (tensile response time of 270 ms), good stability and repeatability. The sensor also inherited the advantages of leather, such as biodegradability and good air permeability, and the introduction of a-MWCNTs/LDHs further enhanced its fire retardancy properties. These features ensured the sensor as an eco-friendly, comfortable and safe electronic device for human motion detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new designs or new materials used in foundries for sand casting products in Vietnam now often rely on experience and adopt the try-to-fix method to gradually find the best implementation. This method is very time-consuming, and the product is often unsatisfactory in the first many castings. This study developed a casting simulation model to compare experimental and simulated results using the Fenotec molding technology for the RV95 engine body. The 3D simulation model that was used to simulate the casting process with the same boundary conditions as the experiment also gave similar results. The results show that when making new castings for the first time from experience, there are many casting defects such as cracking, metal deficiency, porosity, etc. In order to improve the casting results, the pouring gate, the arrangement of additional risers and the size of the runner were studied on the simulation to improve the defect results on the casting. After that, the parameters in the simulation model used in the experiment reveal that the molded product meets the required quality and no longer has defects. This molded product, after checking the mechanical and geometric parameters, can be put into mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zr based metallosilicalites, especially Zr‐ß, is promising catalyst for the conversion of ethanol to 1,3‐butadiene, which is considered to be a sustainable alternative to petroleum steam cracking. However it is suffering from deactivation derived from coking and unsatisfied catalytic activity derived from deficient Lewis acidity. For these issues, a dissolution‐recrystallization process through tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide treatment (TEAOH) for enhancing porosity and Lewis acidity of Zr‐ß zeolite was developed in this study. A balance of dissolution and recrystallization existed in this process, which was produced by OH− etching and templating of TEA+ ions, creating additional mesoporosity. Zirconium active sites maintained tetrahedral coordination, while the Lewis acidity was enhanced by creating higher proportion open sites in framework. The recrystallized Zr‐ß exhibited higher catalytic activity and stability in the conversion of ethanol‐acetaldehyde to butadiene due to the compromise of microporosity and mesoporosity, as well as the appropriate enhancement of Lewis acidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulk chemical 2‐methyl‐2‐butene, one of the main C5 distillates of the petrochemical industry, has scarcely been utilized directly in synthesizing high‐value‐added fine chemicals. Herein, we use 2‐methyl‐2‐butene as the starting material to develop a palladium‐catalyzed highly site‐ and regio‐selective C‐3 dehydrogenation reverse prenylation of indoles. This synthetic method features mild reaction conditions, a broad substrate scope, atom‐ and step‐economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the catalytic activity of zeolites in cracking of petroleum components for the production of light olefins, ZSM-5–USY composite catalysts modified with transition metals (e.g. Nb, Ni, or W) have been synthesized by an impregnation method. The catalytic performance of the obtained catalysts in the cracking of n-hexane as a model compound of petroleum for the production of light olefins has been evaluated using a fix-bed reactor. The Nb-modified composite zeolite has shown an excellent catalytic activity. The optimal Nb loading for the composite catalyst is 1.5% (1.5% Nb/Z–Y) that provides the highest amount of acid sites. The yield up to 50% and the selectivity up to 68% of the C2–C4 olefins have been achieved at 650°C. The kinetic study of the catalytic n-hexane cracking on 1.5% Nb/ZSM-5–USY has characterized it as the first-order reaction with the apparent activation energy of 115.16 kJ/mol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The process of propane cracking in the presence of rare earth vanadites was explored. It was shown that the samples can be attributed to mesoporous catalysts, which also contain a small amount of micropores. It was revealed that the propane conversion and the yield of light olefins grew up with an increase in the molecular weight of a catalyst, while the ethylene and propylene selectivities were enhanced; the propane conversion reached a maximum value of 96.5% with ethylene and propylene selectivities of 69.4 and 26.5%, respectively, when europium vanadite was used as a catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anuario do Instituto de Geociencias is the property of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Geociencias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Y Zeolite plays an irreplaceable role in many important applications due to its unique physicochemical properties, which has attracted extensive attention from researchers. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the process parameters for the hydrothermal synthesis of Y zeolite using kaolin activated by microwave heating. The best relative crystallinity was 108.17% could be achieved at the condition: the aging temperature of guiding agent was 65 ℃, the crystallization temperature was 100 ℃, the crystallization time was 24 h. In addition, the aging temperature of guiding agent was the most important influence factor. Under the optimal condition, the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of synthesized Y zeolite was 4.54, 90% of the particle size was less than 60 μm, and the specific surface area of Y zeolite was 479 m2/g. The successful preparation of Y zeolite with high crystallinity is expected to provide reference for the application of wastewater treatment, CO2 sequestration and fluid catalytic cracking for petroleum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the difficulty of kerosene-air detonation faced by the application of rotating detonation to aviation engines, in order to improve the kerosene detonation activity, the atmospheric pressure gliding arc plasma is used to conduct secondary adjustment of the pre-combustion cracking products. The results show that the components with larger molecular weight in the pre-combustion cracking products, such as ethylene and methane, can be cracked into highly active species of hydrogen and acetylene by gliding arc plasma. With the increase of the fuel ratio of pre-combustion cracking, the plasma has a more significant effect on the adjustment of high active components. However, as the flow rate of the cracking gas treated by plasma increases, the adjustment effect is obviously reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article talks about novel sensor and material technologies designed to help identify bridges most at risk of failure or collapse so they can be repaired and strengthened. Topics covered include the aging bridge infrastructure in both the U.S. and Europe, automated versions in monitoring bridges for crack formation that are being developed by researchers, and a flexible strain-sensing sheet for monitoring bridges developed by a team led by Branko Glisic at Princeton University.

Hot tearing is one of the most serious defects during the casting solidification process. In this study, a new type of multichannel "cross" hot tearing device was designed. The hot cracks initiation and propagation were predicted by the relationship between temperature, shrinkage force and solidification time during the casting solidification process. The reliability and practicability of the multichannel "cross" hot tearing device were verified by casting experiments and numerical simulations. The theoretical calculation based on Clyne-Davies model and numerical simulation results show that the hot tearing tendency decreases in the order: 2024 Al alloy>Al-Cu alloy>Al-Si alloy at a pouring temperature of 670 °C and a mold temperature of 25 °C. Feeding of liquid films at the end of solidification plays an important role in the propagation process of hot tearing. The decrease of hot tearing tendency is attributed to the feeding of liquid film and intergranular bridging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal cracking of complex organic matter can occur under many geological settings. However, the role of thermal cracking vs. other chemistries (e.g., metallic catalysis or Fischer-Tropsch-type reactions) in petroleum formation remains controversial. Realistic modeling of isotope effects in chemical reaction networks involving thermal cracking might shed light on this problem, especially given the recent progress on measurements of intramolecular stable isotope distributions in organic compounds. Previously published models of thermal cracking in petroleum formation are incapable of predicting the intramolecular isotope patterns of products because they do not incorporate realistic precursors, elementary reactions and patterns of inheritance. In this study, we develop a kinetic Monte-Carlo (kMC) model to address this problem. We simulate thermal breakdown of different types of organic matter that is represented by molecular models. At the onset of each simulation, we initialize the model parent organic molecules with isotopic substitutions, and then subject them to free radical chain reactions in a many-step process. Every simulation captures a possible route of thermal degradation and tallies the numbers of each unique isotopologue of all product molecules at the end. Although this model produces data that contain information for all molecules and isotopic forms, in this study we focus on the proportions of many of the isotopologues of all of the C 1 -C 7 n -alkanes. We use two chemistry schemes that differ in complexity. The basic scheme (scheme A) includes only homolytic cleavage and capping of metastable radicals by hydrogen atoms. The more sophisticated scheme (scheme B) includes most reactions of importance in the free radical chain mechanism of thermal cracking. We find significant differences between the schemes A and B in predicted molecular and isotopic compositions of products. Scheme B is more consistent with natural data than scheme A, suggesting that full radical mechanisms should be considered in models of thermal cracking in natural hydrocarbon formation. Our model is further validated by reproducing results from hydrous pyrolysis experiments. For simulating natural petroleum formation, we found that the kMC model is acceptable at low maturity, but cannot match compositions and time estimates of mature gas formation, suggesting the influence of alternative mechanisms in late-stage, high-thermal-maturity catagenesis. Using our model, we provide mechanistic explanations for some of the existing observations, such as the evolution of intramolecular and intermolecular carbon isotope compositions with thermal maturity. Our study also makes predictions of intramolecular isotope compositions for higher-order alkanes (C 4 +) that have been little studied to date but present attractive targets for future measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene is an essential platform chemical with a conjugated double bond, which can produce many secondary chemical products through copolymerisation. At present, ethylene production is mainly from petroleum fractionation and cracking, which are unsustainable in the long term, and harmful to our environment. Therefore, a hot research field is seeking a cleaner method for ethylene production. Based on the model ethylene-forming enzyme (Efe) AAD16440.1 (6vp4.1.A) from Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicol, we evaluated five putative Efe protein sequences using the data derived from phylogenetic analyses and the conservation of their catalytic structures. Then, pBAD expression frameworks were constructed, and relevant enzymes were expressed in E. coli BL21. Finally, enzymatic activity in vitro and in vivo was detected to demonstrate their catalytic activity. Our results show that the activity in vitro measured by the conversion of α-ketoglutarate was from 0.21–0.72 μmol ethylene/mg/min, which varied across the temperatures. In cells, the activity of the new Efes was 12.28–147.43 μmol/gDCW/h (DCW, dry cellular weight). Both results prove that all the five putative Efes could produce ethylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfilled elastomers often suffer from poor fracture resistance at high temperature where viscoelastic dissipation is low. A molecular design based on multiple interpenetrating networks composed of a brittle filler network isotropically prestretched to a value λ0 by swelling it in an extensible matrix leads to a dramatic increase of fracture energy Γc, typically attributed to sacrificial bond scission creating a dissipative damage zone ahead of the propagating crack. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the size of the damage zone when the crack propagates are currently unknown. Here, we combine fluorogenic mechanochemistry with quantitative confocal mapping and mechanical testing to characterize both and the extent of bond scission in the sacrificial network detected on the fracture surfaces for different stretch rates and temperatures. We find that increasing the prestretch λ0 of the filler network leads to a large increase in Γc mainly at temperatures well above the glass transition temperature of the elastomers, where viscoelasticity is inactive, but also at lower temperatures where both mechanisms are coupled. Yet, we show that there is no direct linear relation between the extent of filler network scission and Γc. We mainly attribute the large increase in Γc to the dilution of highly stretched strands in the entangled and unstretched matrix, which delocalizes stress upon bond scission and effectively protects the matrix network from scission and the material from crack growth. Delaying the localization of bond scission by network design is a promising strategy that will guide molecular designs able to toughen elastomers even in the absence of viscoelastic dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimodal silica and aluminosilicate materials containing mesopores and macropores were synthesized by hydrothermal method using sodium silicate, aluminum nitrate, P123 triblock copolymer, n-decane, hydrochloric acid and water. The uncalcined silica compound was previously characterized by thermogravimetry, and the calcined materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared absorption spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained materials have bimodal characteristics with mesopores and macropores in their structures, which pores are ideal for processing bulky molecules, such as hydrocarbons present in heavy oil. In this work, the synthesized silica and aluminosilicate were used as materials for distillation and cracking of a petroleum sample with oAPI = 17.4. The process was evaluated by thermogravimetry, in the temperature range from 25 to 900 °C, in a nitrogen atmosphere. The determination of activation energies (Ea) as a function of the degree of conversion was obtained by using the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall kinetic model and at heating rates of 5, 10 and 20 °C min−1. It was observed that the catalytic cracking of the oil presented Ea of 196 kJ mol−1 for 90% conversion. At the same conversion, for the oil containing 10% of Si-MBB catalyst, the Ea decreased to 170 kJ mol−1 and for AlSi-BMM, the Ea was 155 kJ mol−1, showing the efficiency of bimodal materials containing mesopores and macropores in its structure for processing of heavy oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot-tearing susceptibility (HTS) of Mg-6Zn-xGd (x=0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6) alloys was evaluated using a constrained rod casting (CRC) method. The results show that the HTS curve follows a typical "Λ" shape with the increase of Gd content. The Mg-6Zn-2Gd alloy has the highest while Mg-6Zn-6Gd alloy has the lowest HTS value. The hot-tearing behavior characteristics of Mg-6Zn-xGd alloys were further studied through a multifunctional hot-tearing test device. According to the dendrite contact point inferred from the stress curve, the Clyne-Davies criterion was modified and found to be accurate in predicting the HTS of Mg-6Zn-xGd alloys. Microstructure observation reveals that the grain size and the volume of eutectic liquid are the two key factors affecting HTS of Mg-6Zn-xGd alloys. The large grain with columnar structure can easily promote initiation and propagation of hot-tearing due to the poor feeding and coordinating deformation capability, which have a harmful effect on HTS. A higher volume fraction of eutectic phase can refill the cracking and provide continuous feeding channels by dendrite bridge and thicker liquid film, thus increase the hot-tearing resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effect of CNTs on the thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) of FSC at early age was investigated. • A time-varying model of FSC at early age CTE was developed based on maturity theory. • The time-varying CTE can reflect the actual thermal cracking situation of FSC. • The addition of 0.1 wt% CNTs can reduce the early CTE of FSC and improve its crack resistance. Temperature stresses are a major cause of thermal cracking in face slab concrete (FSC) at an early age. Time-varying coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) can reflect the real thermal cracking of FSC. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can improve the mechanical properties of concrete, but its thermal cracking performance is rarely reported. In this study, CTE of FSC at an early age was investigated based on the maturity theory. The mechanism of CNTs on the CTE of FSC at early age was revealed, and a time-varying model for CTE at early age was developed. The results showed that CNTs can effectively reduce the CTE of FSC at an early age and can significantly improve the cracking resistance of FSC at early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with conventional pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis has superior heat transfer performance and promotes the decomposition of organic matter. The paper focuses on the harmless treatment and resource utilization of pharmaceutical sludge (PS) by microwave heating and conventional heating methods. The experimental results showed that the conventional pyrolysis gas is dominated by CO 2 , CO and H 2. For microwave pyrolysis gas, the "microwave effect" promoted secondary cracking of volatile fractions and increases the content of CH 4 , C x H y , H 2 and CO through condensation, aromatization, and dehydrogenation. Conventional pyrolysis oils contained the highest percentage of oxygenated compounds. However, high-temperature microwave radiation accelerated the cleavage of polar oxygenated molecular bonds and long-chain hydrocarbons, thereby increasing the aromatics content of pyrolysis oils. The solid residues obtained from microwave pyrolysis is highly graphitized and porous, with a surface area of 146.2 m2/g. Furthermore, the solid residue was rich in pyridine-N and pyrrole-N that could be utilized for adsorption and catalysis. The MA-600 removes up to 99% of tetracycline (TC) in 6 h. It was also found that the adsorption process of TC by the two pyrolysis residues was consistent with the proposed secondary and Freundlich models. [Display omitted] • Microwave pyrolysis oil has a smaller carbon number. • Hot spots and dehydrogenation are key factors in increasing C x H y yields. • Microwave pyrolysis residue surfaces are dominated by pyrrole nitrogen. • Porosity of microwave pyrolysis residues facilitates TC adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies conducted at industrial sites have documented the infiltration of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) into clay layers, a phenomenon potentially influenced by the coexistence of chemicals like surfactants in some common pollutants. Bentonite (Ben), monochlorobenzene (MCB), and Tween 80 (T80) were selected as reference components to investigate the influences of nonionic surfactants on DNAPLs migration in clays. Results showed that T80 promotes MCB dissolution and encourages MCB adsorption on Ben. This process reduces the hydrophilicity of Ben, resulting in water loss and shrinkage, which creates cracks and facilitates the migration of MCB within the clay. Tw80 notably enhances MCB solubility, as indicated by a molar solubilization ratio of 7.80. The MCB adsorption on Ben (Q MCB) displays a linear increase with raising the T80 adsorption on Ben (Q T80), especially when Q T80 are below the thresholds, e.g., 408.4 mg/g at pH 3 and 339.3 mg/g at pH 7; however, Q MCB is decreased with increasing adsorbed T80 further. The average fracture ratio, crack length, and crack width of cracked samples in the cracking experiments were 0.794%, 11.29 mm, and 0.209 mm, respectively. The findings here contribute to understanding the role of surfactants in VOC transport in contaminated sites. [Display omitted] • Tween 80 and MCB mutually enhance their adsorption onto bentonite. • Dissolved and adsorbed T80 has a competitive effect on MCB adsorption. • Upon Tween 80 or MCB adsorption, the hydrophilicity of bentonite is reduced. • Tween 80 induce cracks in bentonite to facilitate the migration of MCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we pyrolyzed a waste tire at various temperatures under an N 2 atmosphere and a water environment in an autoclave reactor to investigate the effect of water on tire degradation. The analysis involved a comparison of product distribution, char properties, oil composition, and the behavior of heteroatom elements (especially oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur) under different atmospheres. Elemental analysis, functional-group identification, and chemical state analysis of sulfur were performed for chars. In addition, the chemical composition, elemental composition, and molecular weight of the produced oils were evaluated. The heavy fraction of oils, not detectable by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), was analyzed through Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). The findings revealed that high temperatures promoted oil cracking, resulting in the formation of light oils in both pyrolysis and hydrolysis processes. Compared to pyrolysis, hydrolysis generated a higher yield of low molecular–weight oil. Elevated hydrolysis temperatures promoted aromatization, yielding an oil with a low H/C ratio and a high double bond equivalent number. Consequently, the concentration of aromatics in the light fraction of oils generated from the hydrolysis process exceeded that in oils from the pyrolysis process. Temperature exhibited a limited impact on oil composition during the pyrolysis process. Hydrolysis promoted the release of heteroatom-containing compounds at low temperatures. During pyrolysis, nitrogen was gradually released from the solid phase, whereas nitrogen-containing compounds were released early during hydrolysis, with gas-phase nitrogen accounting for more than 50 wt% at 320 °C. A maximum D-limonene yield of 45.58% was obtained at 360 °C within 0 min of hydrolysis, with the potential conversion of D-limonene into aromatics at higher hydrolysis temperatures. These results contribute to the understanding of tire valorization via hydrolysis. [Display omitted] • Higher temperatures can promote the formation of aromatics. • Hydrolysis promote the early release of nitrogen-containing compounds. • Higher hydrolysis temperatures can promote the formation of sulfide. • Temperature has a weak effect on oil composition for pyrolysis process. • Extensive of NxOy, NxOySz, NxSy, Nx and Ox classes formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study quantitatively and fundamentally evaluated the effects of B and Hf on weld solidification cracking susceptibility for 247LC superalloy, and the behavior was compared with that of 247LC's original composition. To this end, the transverse-Varestraint test was performed by measuring the cracking temperature during weld solidification. The solidification brittle temperature range (BTR) values of the Boron (B)- and Hafnium (Hf)-free 247LC alloys were 206 and 172 K, respectively, which were significantly lower than that of the original 247LC alloy (400 K). Contrastingly, the minimum strain for solidification cracking ε min was similar in both alloys. The metallurgical mechanism for the largely reduced BTR (from 400 K to 172 K) was elucidated especially for the Hf-free 247LC alloy, which was highly dependent on its weld mushy zone range (170 K) calculated by non-equilibrium weld solidification. It was attributed to the suppression of carbide (MC + M 23 C 6) formation for Hf-free 247LC (area fraction: 0.15%) as compared with that of 247LC (area fraction: 4.72%) by direct identifying the solidification cracking surfaces. • Solidification cracking susceptibilities of 247LC and Hf,B-free alloys studied. • Brittle temperature range (BTR) reduced from 400 K to 170 K by nonaddition of Hf. • The reduced BTR attributed to suppressed carbide formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, sp2-hybridized single-layer SiC, analogous to graphene, has received much attention in nanoelectronics and nanoelectromechanical systems because of its remarkable thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties. However, the unique properties and related applications strongly depend on the growth of a single-crystal and large-area two-dimensional SiC. The majority of synthesized SiC monolayers exhibit a natural polycrystalline structure, comprising single-crystalline grains with diverse sizes and orientations. Moreover, the emergence of structural defects, including cracks and notches, poses challenges that are difficult to overcome during both the fabrication and subsequent processing stages. In this paper, we explore the atomistic details of grain, crack, and notch effect on the mechanical behaviors and fracture mechanisms of single-layer SiC using molecular dynamics simulations. Increasing grain size from 2 nm to 35 nm gradually increases the elastic modulus and fracture strength, which fits well with the inverse Pseudo Hall-Petch relationship. However, an anomalous trend of decreasing as well as increasing fracture strain is observed with the increasing grain size. For polycrystalline SiC with a 2 nm grain size, the elastic modulus and fracture strength are roughly 87% and 41% of those observed in single-crystalline SiC. Notably, when comparing the impact of rectangular crack and circular notch defects, the circular notch exhibited a more pronounced effect in diminishing mechanical behavior under both armchair and zigzag orientational loading. The circular notch produces considerable amorphization around the notch, but the rectangular crack does not show any significant dislocation or amorphization around the crack. The critical stress intensity factor, energy release rate, radial distribution function, and potential energy per atom are calculated to explain all the fracture properties. The effect of temperature and strain rate is also investigated for all the defect-induced samples. Overall, our results provide new insight and understanding of the mechanical behavior and fracture mechanisms of polycrystalline, crack- and notch-induced SiC, and set a standard for making and designing new nanodevices and nanostructures made of SiC. [Display omitted] • Grain, crack, and notch effects on the mechanical behavior of 2D SiC are studied. • The MEAM potential is used to describe the atomistic interactions of monolayer SiC. • 2D SiC shows an inverse pseudo-hall-petch relation with increasing grain size. • Notch creates a higher decrease in mechanical properties than crack defects. • Fracture toughness and energy release rate are estimated to define defect actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major drawback in the application of AlCoCrFeNiCu high-entropy alloy (HEA) coatings is a susceptibility to hot-cracking, which is closely related to a grain boundary segregation due to the low melting point Cu component. Reducing or eliminating the grain boundary segregation of Cu is an effective means of reducing cracking in the HEA coating. In this study, blended and partial pre-alloyed powders were used as feedstock to fabricate the AlCoCrFeNiCu coating. The application of electron beam (EB) cladding to partial pre-alloyed powders, prepared by resistance seam welding (RSEW), resulted in an appreciable reduction of crack density in the coating. This response is attributed to the formation of Ni 3 Al and Al 4 Cu 9 promoted by the relatively low heat generated during the RSEW process. In subsequent EB cladding, nanoscale Me 3 Al (Me = Cu, Ni) replaced the Cu-rich phase at grain boundaries. The hardness and wear resistance of coatings using partially pre-alloyed powders were 17.2 % and 15.8 % higher, respectively, than blended powders. The findings of this study indicate that the use of partial pre-alloyed powders can offer a new effective approach to reducing the hot cracks in EB cladding AlCoCrFeNiCu HEA coatings. [Display omitted] • AlCoCrFeNiCu coatings were fabricated by blended and partial pre-alloyed powders. • Cracks were reduced using partial pre-alloyed powders by electron beam cladding. • Ni 3 Al and Al 4 Cu 9 phases reduced the interdendritic segregation of Cu in RE coatings. • Wear resistance of RE coating was optimal 20.4 % higher than EB coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) films were fabricated in situ on the surface of a high-strength and robust 2024 aluminum alloy using step voltage and constant voltage modes, respectively. Our study included examination of the microstructure, thickness, microhardness, and electrochemical characteristics of the AAO films. Cross-sectional morphology analysis revealed that the AAO film produced via the step-voltage approach exhibited remarkable density, uniformity, and good quality. In contrast, conspicuous cracks were observed in the AAO film generated under constant-voltage conditions when applied to the 2024 aluminum alloy substrate. Notably, the microhardness of the AAO film prepared using the step voltage method surpassed that of its constant-voltage counterpart. Specifically, the microhardness of the AAO film produced at 30 V via the step voltage reached 289 HV, whereas the equivalent AAO film produced at a constant voltage of 30 V registered only 174 HV. Furthermore, the self-corrosion potential and polarization resistance of the AAO films created using the step voltage were markedly higher than those achieved using a constant voltage. Specifically, the AAO films produced under step voltage conditions, specifically at 30 V and 60 min, exhibited the highest self-corrosion potential and polarization resistance values of namely −0.52 V and 34,888.6 Ω, respectively. In contrast, AAO films prepared under constant voltage conditions displayed values of −0.61 V and 23,292.0 Ω, respectively. Conducting AC impedance measurements and subsequent fitting calculations, the maximum thickness of the AAO film generated via step voltage and constant voltage methods amounted to 132.43 nm and 106.70 nm, respectively. Overall, the microstructure and corrosion resistance of the AAO film formed on the surface of the 2024 aluminum alloy using the step voltage approach demonstrated that it outperformed that of the AAO layer prepared under constant-voltage conditions. Chinese library classification number:TG178 Document ID:A Article ID. • A new method and new idea for preparing anodic oxide film on aluminum alloy surface were explored. • Anodic oxide film produced using the step voltage approach exhibited a dense and uniform microstructure, forming a strong bond with the 2024 aluminum alloy substrate. • Anodic oxide film prepared the step voltage method exhibited a thinner thickness while demonstrating higher microhardness. • The corrosion resistance of the anodic oxide film prepared using the step voltage technique substantially exceeded that of the film produced using constant voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now days while the welded product of duplex stainless steels (DSS) is to be used for Cl-containing environment & sour service applications for example petrochemical, off-shore platforms, oil, gas, paper & pulp industries etc. The resistance to chloride stress corrosion cracking (CSCC) during service application has always been a threat for the manufacturer & the end user of the product. Resistance regards SCC under chloride existing environment based on current ferrite content under carefully welded duplex (ferrite-austenitic) stainless steel framework. DSS ferrite specifications required by various organizations are 30 to 60%, 30 to 70 Ferrite Number, 35 to 75%, etc. In this study, DSS 2205 material all weld metal consumable test coupons within ferrite content range 14% to 30% or 20 FN to 40 FN have been prepared & investigated. Investigations have shown that yield strength & tensile strength needs regard base metal & filler metal classifications were higher at every ferrite levels observations & no SCC cracking analyzed after 1000 hours exposure at ferrite level below 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because thermowells are prone to fatigue damage in petroleum cracking gas pipelines, in this paper, the LES method is used to simulate the flow around thermowells through two-way thermal-fluid-solid coupling, the internal causes of thermowell damage are explored, and measures for improving the thermowell safety are proposed. According to this study, when high-speed, high-temperature gas passes the thermocouple bushing, the main factors affecting the structural safety of the thermocouple bushing are the alternating stress caused by the vortex falling off, the thermal stress cycle due to the temperature gradient, and the pressure gradient impacted by the gas. Furthermore, this paper proposes improving the thermowell safety by installing the interference devices and optimizing the installation angle. The improvement measures were studied by conducting a two-way thermal fluid-structure coupling simulation. The results of this study show that after installing the interference device and optimizing the installation angle the displacement deformation of the thermowell and the equivalent stress is reduced by 57.2% and 72.1%, respectively, which indicates the safety improvement of the thermowell structure and the effectiveness of the method. The research contents of this paper can provide guidance for the installation and use of thermocouple bushing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses issues associated with science industry. Topics discussed include antivirals as another promising route to decrease risk of Covid-19 pandemic risks alongside vaccination; joint venture technology firm created by Reaction Engines in Oxfordshire; new approach to treat Alzheimer's disease by using an engineered form of a protein associated with the disease.

Two semi-synthetic clay-based catalysts were prepared. These catalysts were obtained by incorporating lanthanum oxide (Cat1) and chromium oxide (Cat2). They were then tested for catalytic cracking of a heavy petroleum residue (fuel). The two formulations were carried out in the presence of silica to improve their acidity then underwent an acid activation. The catalysts obtained were characterized by various methods (XRD, FTIR, ICP-OES, SEM). The results showed that the incorporation of oxides and the addition of silica improves the structural characteristics of the final products. The support used was a kaolinite rich clay, having a specific surface area of 15.26 m2/g and acidity of 14 meq/g. These values increase, respectively, to 456.14 m2/g and 50 meq/g for Cat1 and to 475.12 m2/g and 57 meq/g for Cat2. The influence of the type of oxide incorporated, the specific surface area, the porosity and the acidity of the catalysts on their catalytic activity was studied. The nature of the oxide used proved to be decisive on the quality of the catalyst. Thus Cat1, prepared with lanthanum oxide, showed the best performance in cracking the petroleum residue achieving a conversion rate of 74.13% compared to 66.53% for cat2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the main methods of modeling processes of skew rollers. Factors influencing the formation of internal cracks are discussed. The tendency of a material to crack in skew rolling processes decreases as the temperature of material increases, the number of rolling cycles decreases, and the number of rolls increases. In two-roll skew rolling, internal cracks appear around a central axial zone of a rolled specimen. The size and density of inclusions in a metal sample directly affect the formation of internal cracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel ingot with a large height-to-diameter ratio is utilized to produce multiple products by one stock in practice. Water cooling is a usual way to enhance production efficiency. However, the combination of the two factors will generate internal defects, such as shrinkage porosity and hot crack. The characteristic of internal shrinkage crack in a 10 t water-cooled steel ingot with a large height-to-diameter ratio was examined by an ultrasonic test. A slice was sectioned from the ingot middle part where billets containing star-like crack were further extracted. The billets were examined by X-ray high energy industrial CT, and the compactness was reconstructed in three dimensions. Microstructure near the crack was observed using scanning electron microscopy, and the solidification process and grain size were studied by high temperature confocal microscopy. Moreover, thermomechanical simulation and post-processing were carried out to analyze the formation of shrinkage porosity and hot crack. A new criterion considering mushy zone mechanical behavior in brittle temperature as well as grain size distribution was proposed to evaluate hot cracking potential in the ingot. The results show that a deep shrinkage porosity band easily forms in the center line of such an ingot with a large height-to-diameter ratio, and water-cooling further generates excessive tensile stress tearing the liquid films around the porosities. Then, hot cracks begin to propagate along grain boundaries. The grain size in the upper and center of the ingot is large, which leads to an inverted cone shape defects zone in the ingot center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High Nb-TiAl (Ti-44Al-8Nb-0.2W-0.2B-0.5Y, at.%) ingot was fabricated by vacuum arc remelting (VAR). The as-cast ingot was hot-isostatic pressed (HIP) and homogenizing annealing processed. The influence of heat treatment temperature and thermomechanical processing on the microstructure and tensile property of the alloy was investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tensile tests. It was found that the high Nb-TiAl alloy after HIP and annealing was mainly composed of coarse α2/γ lamellae, β/B2 phase and γ phase and the solidification path of this alloy was: L→L+β→β→α+β→α→α+β+γ→α2+β+γ. The water quenching results showed that the alloy was in α single phase region at 1,340 °C. After heating at 1,340 °C for 30 min followed by furnace cooling, the alloy showed a full lamellar microstructure and its ultimate tensile strength was about 538 MPa, with an elongation of 0.3% at room temperature. Free-crack forged pancakes with fine-grained fully lamellar structure (FFLS) were obtained with an initial deformation temperature of 1,340 °C and the ultimate tensile strength of forged alloy was about 820 MPa, with an elongation of 0.9% at room temperature, which was much higher than that of alloy after HIP and annealing because of microstructural refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During fire investigation, gasoline, as a common accelerant, is produced by petroleum cracking. However, the pyrolysis residues of other petrochemicals may interfere with gasoline identification. Polymerised styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) 1502 has combustion characteristics highly consistent with those of gasoline, thus having a great effect on gasoline identification. This study investigated the pyrolysis process of SBR 1502 by using thermogravimetric–differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to examine the residues during combustion stages, including pyrolysis and nonpyrolysis stages. The results indicated that 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene in the pyrolysis residues of SBR 1502 in pyrolysis stages 2 and 3 was lacked. However, when SBR 1502 only undergoes the first pyrolysis stage or even earlier (Nonpyrolysis stage), the characteristic components in the residue are similar to gasoline. In addition, mathematical methods were applied to analyse relevance and differences between SBR 1502 and gasoline. The conclusion was that the Pearson product-moment correlation was > 0.990, which may interfere with the identification, and principal component analysis could efficiently distinguish them. The current results can provide an accurate and feasible basis for fire investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]