Search

Background: In electoral contexts, mental health topics have recently attracted sociopolitical relevance, influenced by policy developments, election-related psychopathology and popular discourse about individual candidates. Yet, whether this reflects generalised trends or is contingent on election-specific and contextual factors remains difficult to ascertain. Aims: This study sought to examine correlations between Google Trends (GT) data on mental health and four national elections in the US and the UK from 2008 to 2020. This was intended to yield preliminary insights into the relevance of mental health topics amongst voters and the potential impact of electoral cycles on patterns of online engagement with these issues. Methods: Monthly and daily Search Volume Indexes (SVI) were gathered from the 'Mental Health' category on GT in the US and UK from 2008 to 2023. SVI were evaluated around the past four national ballots, comparing election-year intervals and baseline data from the preceding year. Statistical tests were conducted to assess SVI and short- and long-term dynamics. Findings: The results showed heterogeneous SVI patterns related to mental health during elections in the US and the UK. In the US, there were statistically significant SVI increases proximal to the majority of elections as compared to data in the same calendar year, but these did not typically exceed baseline SVI. However, interestingly, divisive US contests showed correlations with several elevated SVI measures in the same and previous years. Conversely, there was a lack of consistent longitudinal trends in UK elections, perhaps informed by its disparate sociopolitical landscape. Conclusions: These findings underline the composite relationship between electoral politics and popular engagement with mental health topics around national votes, suggesting that this is driven more by situational factors rather than a recurrent electoral effect or signs of burgeoning engagement. Detailed research is required to understand the nuances and causality behind these dynamics and their wider implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragile states are conditioned by the politics of interests, which oscillates between social, ethnic, factional, political and economic agitations. The politics of interest impairs shared identity and creates a tense coexistence between already fragmented communities. Ethiopia presents an example of the erosion of democratic norms despite the constitutionally imposed politics of ethnically and regionally based societies. Fragile states defy theoretical wisdom, as the media and elections might, in certain circumstances, produce negative results by creating a fractured society rather than resolving the legitimacy crisis. This article analysed academic literature and reflected on theories of the media in democracy to deconstruct the role of the legacy and new media in radical polarisation and nation-building in Ethiopia. Furthermore, illustrations were drawn from incidents and developments to clarify conditions that can help the mass media refrain from actions that deliberately or inadvertently impede socio-economic growth and worsen political conditions in fragile democracies. This article asserts that without context adaptation, the liberal norms of media autonomy and political inclusion might be incompatible with other forms of democracy beyond affluent democracies. It concludes by proposing theoretical visions of a 'democratic mirror', 'vigilantism and fraternisation' and the 'therapeutic' function of the media in fragile democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, links between selective news exposure and political polarisation have attracted considerable attention among communication scholars. However, while the existence of selective exposure has been documented in both offline and online environments, the evidence of its extent and its impact on political polarisation is far from unanimous. To address these questions, and also to bridge methodological and geographical gaps in existing research, this paper adopts a media repertoires approach to investigate selective news exposure and polarisation in four Eastern European countries – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Serbia. Using a combination of population surveys, expert surveys and qualitative interviews, the data for the study were collected between November 2019 and May 2020. We identify five types of news repertoires based on their relative openness to counter-attitudinal sources, and show that selective news repertoires are present in 29% of the entire sample. Our findings also reveal significant cross-country differences, with the more selective news repertoires more prominent in countries characterised by higher levels of polarisation. Furthermore, while the selection of news sources is in line with people's electoral (and to a lesser extent ideological) preferences, our findings show that exposure to counter-attitudinal sources can also be strongly correlated with political and ideological leanings. Our qualitative data suggest that this is because exposure to counter-attitudinal sources can reinforce attitudes, and potentially contribute to polarisation. Qualitative data also highlight the influence of environmental factors (e.g., family), and suggest that selective news consumption is associated with normatively different conceptions of media trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review discusses the electrochemical principles involved in the recovery of metals from aqueous solutions and fused salt electrolytes. In this article we concentrate on electrolytic processing of different types of metals with an emphasis on the significant role of electrochemical principles together with free energy and activity in electrowinning and electrorefining of common and reactive metals. Based on discharge potentials, metals are classified into three categories with respect to their characteristics of deposition from aqueous electrolytes without hydrogen evolution, under hydrogen over-voltage, and only from fused electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, laser surface melting (LSM) of 304L stainless steel (SS) was performed using 250 W pulse Nd: YAG laser which resulted in a 250 µm thick melted layer with refined microstructure on the surface. Potentiostatic polarisations at various potentials in the transpassive regime in 6 M HNO3 solution at 95°C were used to quantify the IGC rate. The transpassive dissolution rate was significantly reduced after LSM. The pitting corrosion susceptibility was assessed by potentiodynamic polarisation in 3.5 wt-% NaCl solution. LSM resulted in an increase in pitting potential. Following electrochemical tests, sample surfaces were examined using optical and scanning electron microscopes besides a 3-D optical profilometer. The depths of IGC attack and pit were significantly reduced after LSM. The improvement in resistance to pitting corrosion and transpassive dissolution was attributed to the elimination of inclusions and impurity segregation at the grain boundaries brought about by LSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral foundations theory is one of the most popularised and tested lenses of recent years, with its ability to account for differences in political ideology. For the first time using a nationally representative random probability sample, we assess how the newly refined moral foundation questionnaire may explain differences in political ideology and views on political issues in the UK. We confirm a six-factor model with robust estimates for the moral intuitions of care, equality, proportionality, authority, loyalty, and purity. We then use moral intuitions to predict (a) economic left-right and socially liberal-conservative ideology and (b) the relationship between political ideology and views on salient political issues. We find moral intuitions mostly play a unifying role across a series of issues, with the exception of feelings toward patriotism and Brexit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is polarisation a fundamental threat to the open society? Are the divisions that run through societies and separate them into two (or more) more or less hostile groups problems to be solved? Or are they the corollaries of a vibrant democratic system that might legitimately be called an 'open society'? These are the questions I seek to explore in this contribution to the special issue. My argument unfolds through a reinterpretation of Karl Popper's conception of open society as a democratic idea, characterised by an appreciation of genuine human plurality and diversity that make 'critical encounters with the other side' possible (and desirable); this conception of open society also recognises the progressive potential of social and political conflicts. For that reason, political polarisation cannot be regarded as a lethal threat to open societies. By contrast, 'belief polarisation', with its Manichean orientation and anti-political tendencies, is a much more serious threat. It follows that advocates of open society should avoid the temptation to solve the 'problem' of political polarisation – they should accept it as the price to be paid for the 'imperfect ideal' of open society. However, they should take steps to reduce belief polarisation through the active creation of spaces of critical encounters with the other side. The overarching aim of the article, then, is to make a contribution to both the literature on open society and polarisation. To that end, I will bring the concept of open society and the phenomenon of polarisation into a relationship of reciprocal elucidation: through the engagement with open society, I will shine some light on polarisation, and through the analysis of polarisation, I will put flesh on the concept of open society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of strain-induced martensitic transformation (SIMT) and its reversion (SIMRT) on the microstructure evolution and localised corrosion of 2304 lean duplex stainless steel (LDSS) was investigated. The cold-rolled LDSS was subjected to reverse annealing at 600°C to 900°C for 1800 s. To evaluate the microstructure, scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were used as the main techniques. Subsequent electrochemical characterisation included cyclic polarisation and double loop-electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation test. SIM formation was noticed after cold rolling, and a partial reverse transformation was seen after annealing at 600°C. At 600°C, SIMRT led to decrease in pitting resistance and increase in the degree of sensitisation (DOS). Increasing the annealing temperature favoured localised and intergranular corrosion resistance. The obtained results indicate that reversed austenitic and recrystallised grains have a beneficial effect on desensitisation and corrosion resistance of 2304 LDSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of robot adoption on European regional labour markets between 1995 and 2015. Specifically, we look at the effect of the usage of industrial robots on jobs and employment structures across European regions. Our estimates suggest that the effect of robots on employment tends to be mostly small and negative during the period 1995–2005 and positive during the period 2005–2015 for the majority of model specifications. Regarding the effects on employment structures, we find some evidence of a mildly polarising effect in the first period, but this finding depends to some extent on the model specifications. In sum, this paper shows that the impact of robots on European labour markets in the last couple of decades has been ambiguous and is not robust. The strength and even the sign of this effect are sensitive to the specifications, as well as to the countries and periods analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though corruption by politicians and in politics is widespread worldwide, it is more pronounced in developing countries, such as Zimbabwe, where members of the political elite overtly abuse power for personal accumulation of wealth. Ideally, the news media, as watchdogs, are expected to investigate and report such abuses of power. However, previous studies in Zimbabwe highlight the news media's polarised and normative inefficacies. Informed by the theoretical notion of deliberative democracy developed via Habermas and Dahlgren's work and Hall's Encoding, Decoding Model, this article uses qualitative content analysis to examine how online readers of Zimbabwe's two leading daily publications, The Herald and NewsDay, interpreted and evaluated allegations of corruption leveled against ministers and deputy ministers during the height of factionalism in the ruling party (ZANU PF). The article argues that interaction between mainstream media and their audiences online shows the latter's resourcefulness and, at least, discursive agency in their engagement with narratives about political corruption, itself an imperative premise for future political action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democracy is retreating worldwide. As Freedom House reports, the US has not escaped this trend. The system of checks and balances of American democracy managed to thwart Trump's assault on democracy. But together with longstanding institutional and structural defects, his presidency clearly indicates that American democracy is on the verge of political decay. Political polarisation, inequalities, identity politics and the inability of the two political parties to reach compromises are further testing the American democratic institutions. To avert decay, the US needs a reform coalition to bring about institutional changes; and more importantly, to establish inclusive economic policies and a renewed focus on citizenship, duty and a shared purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether power-sharing increases polarisation or not in post-conflict societies remains deeply contested. Yet, we currently lack an adequate conceptualisation of polarisation to assess the link (if any) between the two. This article offers a new conceptualisation of polarisation and uses this to gather evidence from Northern Ireland to argue that the assumption that power-sharing entrenches polarisation is not the reality that many think it is. By examining legislator voting records, speeches by party leaders, manifestos and public opinion data, we disaggregate polarisation into different issues, track it over time, and examine both elite and mass levels. We find that overall polarisation declined, albeit some limited polarisation remained in cultural and identity issues, but these were of low salience. We argue that this is the result of parties using identity instrumentally for electoral distinction in a system of convergence – a process that is independent of the effects of power-sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a relational understanding of socio-spatial polarisation as a nested, multidimensional and multi-scalar process, the paper applies a comparative perspective on current trends of socio-spatial development in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Comparing current scholarship and data on demographic and economic processes of centralisation and peripheralisation, we also examine political debates around issues of polarisation in different scholarly national perspectives. Despite variations in national discourses, our comparative perspective conveys strong similarities between the three Baltic countries in terms of socio-economic and demographic concentration in the capital regions to the disadvantage of the rest of the country. The analysis of regional policies further points to tensions between a concern for territorial cohesion on the one hand, and an adherence to the neo-liberal logic of growth and competitiveness against the backdrop of post-socialist transition on the other hand. An overview of case studies in the three countries shows a common reliance on endogenous resources to foster local development, conforming to the neo-liberal logics of regional policy. However, these strategies remain niche models with different levels of success for the respective regions and also among the populations in the region. As a result, we argue for a stronger role of regional policy in the Baltic countries that goes beyond the capital regions by better addressing the negative consequences of uneven development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short contribution explores alternative conceptions of classical sociology and continuities and discontinuities in its history, with particular attention to the German and Austrian context and the sociological diaspora resulting from European fascism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical techniques such as Polarisation and Galvanic tests as well as immersion test were used to analyse both the effects of different Bi contents and the length scale of dendritic spacings on Zn–8 wt-%Al–(1.5, 2.3 and 3 wt-%Bi) alloys on their corrosion behaviour. The results revealed that no significant differences in the corrosion kinetics were observed with the scale of the dendritic and lamellar spacings. Conversely, the corrosion behaviour was shown to be dependent on the alloy Bi content. Despite the cathodic character of Bi, its addition to the Zn–8%Al alloy was shown to reduce the corrosion rate as compared with that of the binary alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies how the COVID crisis affected polarisation, politicisation and consensus in Finnish parliamentary discourse, a case in which we expect pluralist political institutions and culture to mitigate polarisation. In addition to the empirical contribution, we add to the theory of polarisation by drawing from Chantal Mouffe’s theory of plural democracy to argue that the opposite of polarisation may take the form of a depoliticised consensus or a pluralism of legitimate positions (‘agonism’). Furthermore, we apply Norman and Isabela Fairclough’s political discourse analysis to studying polarisation qualitatively, arguing that scrutiny of argumentative premises enables assessment of how profound certain political conflicts are. Studying 485 parliamentary speeches given in 2020–2021, we argue that a morally charged consensus imperative with nationalistic overtones quickly developed in Spring 2020, and pluralism gradually re-emerged later. The article highlights that while polarisation can threaten democracy, so can moralisation and enforced consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to study the inhibitory effect of the Myrtus communis extract on the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) induced by sulphate reducing bacterial (SRB) consortium in the cooling tower water. The SRB consortium was grown on the surface of the st37 steel and its effects on the surface corrosion were evaluated. The results of electrochemical measurements and microscopic observations revealed that the extract could significantly reduce the corrosion by inhibiting the SRB biofilm formation. The addition of the 0.781 mg ml−1 of the extract into the SRB medium led to a considerable reduction (about seven times) in the corrosion process of the st37 steel and kept it at an almost constant value. Based on Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, 2-Furancarboxaldehyde, 5-(hydroxymethyl) (42.396%) was the most abundant compound identified in the plant extract. The molecular identification has proved that most population of SRB consortium was related to Desulfovibrio vulgaris species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Ti addition on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of the as-cast Ti-stabilised Fe–17Cr ferritic stainless steels was investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive spectrometer. The corrosion behaviour of the as-cast Fe–17Cr ferritic stainless steel in 10 wt-% HNO3 and 10 wt-% NaOH solutions was examined by using potentiodynamic polarisation curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. After Ti addition from 0.06 to 0.26 wt-%, the size of TiN precipitates in the as-cast Fe–17Cr ferritic stainless steel increases and the corrosion resistance is improved in 10 wt-% HNO3 and 10 wt-% NaOH solutions, especially in 10 wt-% HNO3 solution. Mott–Schottky curves demonstrate that the addition of Ti can inhibit the decomposition of the passive film, which can improve corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how intensifying inequality in the UK plays out at a local level, in order to bring out the varied ways polarisation takes place 'on the ground'. It brings a community analysis buttressed by quantitative framing to the study of economic, spatial and relational polarisation in four towns in the UK. We distinguish differing dynamics of 'elite-based' polarisation (in Oxford and Tunbridge Wells) and 'poverty-based' polarisation (in Margate and Oldham). Yet there are also common features. Across the towns, marginalised communities express a sense of local belonging. But tensions between social groups also remain strong and all towns are marked by a weak or 'squeezed middle'. We argue that the weakness of intermediary institutions, including but not limited to the 'missing middle', and capable of bridging gaps between various social groups, provides a major insight into both the obstacles to, and potential solutions for, re-politicising inequality today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voters constrain democratic leaders' foreign policy decisions. Yet, studies show that elite polarisation restricts the choices available to voters, limiting their ability to punish or reward incumbent governments. Building on a comparative elections and accountability perspective, we hypothesise that the governing context moderates the effectiveness of domestic punishment and reward. The rise of elite polarisation in many democracies undermines voters' ability to sanction leaders through elections. Linking data on international crises to domestic polarisation, we find that leaders are more likely to be involved in the initiation of inter-state disputes, resulting disputes will be more likely to result in prolonged conflict, and ultimately that foreign policy outcomes exhibit greater variance. Results from our analysis and extensive robustness checks demonstrate evidence that increased dispersion of preferences among key actors can lead to extreme and negative foreign policy outcomes as electoral mechanisms fail to reign in and hold governing parties to account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study shows how interest group–party relations, parties' cross-cutting policy preferences, and competition with challenger parties shape the structure of issue competition on climate policy. It uses the 'most similar' cases of the UK and Ireland to show how differences in party systems influence the structure of issue competition. The study takes up the challenge of integrating salience and position in the conceptualisation of climate policy preferences. Empirically, it provides new evidence on factors influencing climate policy preferences and the party politics of climate change, focusing on interest groups, party ideology, and challenger parties. Further, it identifies similarities between the general literature on interest group influence on party preferences and the literature on interest groups in climate politics, and seeks to make connections between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion behaviour of electrochemically induced surface annealed (EISA) 304L stainless steel was analysed using a range of electrochemical methods, such as polarisation, impedance and Mott–Schottky techniques. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to examine the elemental distribution around the surface of an EISA-treated specimen. The results showed that the EISA treatment increases the resistance to pitting corrosion due to surface densification caused by the absorption of NO and/or N2, which had been reduced under cathodic polarisation during the EISA process. Owing to the limited annealing depth, however, the prolonged corrosion process (i.e. Fe dissolution) can lead to the dissolution of NO and/or N2 species, which had been absorbed on the outer surface, and only smaller portions remained with an uneven distribution at the surface. This can make the EISA-treated steel more vulnerable to corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims at explaining the emergence and magnitude of student protests in Chile in 2011 and in Quebec in 2012. These two societies witnessed unprecedented levels of student mobilization that cannot be accounted for simply by pointing out existing resources and political cultures. Although the latter did play a role in shaping the mobilization – insofar as in both Chile and Quebec the student movement is well organized, is composed of dense networks of formal as well as informal organizations and has been characterized by contentious practices for a long time – they cannot alone explain the timing and the duration of the 2011–2012 protests. The authors thus propose to treat organizational resources and political culture as initial conditions and draw on the work of McAdam, Tarrow and Tilly to focus on three processes that were critical in determining the growth and trajectory of the conflict: (1) mediation, as a result of communication and coalition work among student organizations and the emergence of new collectives that redefined past lines of division; (2) polarization, as a result of both a closed structure of political opportunities and a radicalization of student demands; and (3) spillover, as student movements extended beyond initial issues and goals and fostered other mobilizations. These three processes did not evolve in sequence but instead in parallel, conditioning one another. By showing that similar mechanisms can generate relatively similar effects in different contexts, this study contributes to assessing their robustness. Furthermore, by comparing a case from the Global North with one from the Global South the study contributes to making social movement studies less parochial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and corrosion behaviour of the metal waste form (MWF) alloys based on ferritic steel with Zr content in the range of 3–15 wt-% were investigated. The MWF alloys are composed of α-Fe and Fe-Zr phases and with the increase of Zr content, α-Fe phase gradually decreases and the relative content of Fe–Zr intermetallic phase also increases. TEM and XRD confirmed the presence of Fe2Zr and Fe23Zr6 intermetallics. Potentiodynamic polarisation curves showed The MWF alloys exhibited passivation behaviour in the simulated Kalpakkam (KGW) and Rajasthan ground water (RGW) media. Electrochemical impedance spectra revealed improved passive film stability in RGW than in KGW which is related to the formation of more stable adherent insoluble passive film in RGW. Higher Zr containing MWF alloy exhibited higher corrosion resistance than lower Zr containing MWF alloys. The relative content of Fe–Zr intermetallics is attributed for the corrosion resistance of The MWF alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that media regulations on correcting incorrect articles are in dire need of reform due to technological and behavioural changes. By using case studies from the UK, the authors demonstrate the huge difference between the number of people who were reached by the original article before the Independent Press Standards Organisation (the regulator in the UK) ruled it incorrect and the number reached by the correction or corrected article. The authors argue that media regulations must be reformed to ensure that corrections reach the same people as the original incorrect article to avoid misinformation impacting peoples' decision-making, and that reforms must include social media platforms and search engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of different locations on copper corrosion with different external electric fields under a chloride-containing thin electrolyte layer was studied using polarisation curve measurement and surface analysis techniques. The results indicated that, under an external direct current electric field, the anodic current densities near the positive plate were smaller than that near the negative plate, while the cathodic current densities near the positive plate were larger than that near the negative plate. However, at different locations in an external alternating current electric field, the anodic current densities were little change, while the cathodic current densities were obviously different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of democratic culture is a potential antidote to radical disagreement, contradiction, and polarisation. Folk high schools (folkehøjskoles) emerged in Denmark following a nonviolent revolution from monarchy to democracy in 1849 and were founded as non-formal educational institutions for the cultivation of a pervasive democratic culture. The Scandinavian folk school tradition emerged in the US to meet diverse democratic needs for: adult education, community building, labour organising, and social movement leadership. The Highlander Folk School embodied the democratising leadership of the early Danish folk schools as it shaped the US labour, civil rights, and environmental movements. Folk schools as popular non-formal education hold promise for developing a culture of democratic preventative peacebuilding to foster individual and collective agency; advance a vital agonistic democracy; and counter the politics of fear, division, and polarisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve excellent heat resistance and corrosion resistance, high melting-point and rare earth elements were added to ferritic stainless steel. The effect of W and Ce addition in ferritic stainless steel on the corrosion resistance in 0.1 M NaOH solution was studied. Potentiodynamic polarisation curves indicated that W- and Ce-containing samples had lower corrosion rate and lower passive current density. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements revealed that W-Ce-containing samples had higher polarisation resistance values and thicker passive films. Capacitance analysis indicated that the semiconducting behaviour and the properties of passive film remain unchanged. The addition of W and Ce led to a decrease in donor and acceptor density, which improved the passive film stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many scholars argue that politics in majority-Muslim societies are marked by deep polarization: dominated by struggles between secularists and Islamists who hold fundamentally divergent ideological positions. Yet, this finding is likely a result of scholarly focus on Islamist organizations and political parties rather than their constituencies. Using Tunisia as a case study, this article investigates attitudinal polarization between secularists and Islamists at the individual level using a mixed-method design combining statistical analyses of survey data with content analyses of in-depth interviews. Statistical results indicate that Islamists are no different from non-Islamists in attitudes about excommunication (takfir), popular sovereignty, women’s rights, or minority rights, though they are more skeptical of democracy and express less religious tolerance. Interview results show that many political procedures advocated by Islamists resemble the secular procedures they seek to replace and, though secularists tend to have negative views of Islamists, many express support for Islamist ideological positions. Taken together, these findings provide little evidence of attitudinal polarization along the so-called secular–Islamist divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the primary means of political organisation, political parties remain vital to contemporary democracies, making it important to investigate their understanding of democracy. This study explores the themes with which five largest political parties in Turkey associate democracy. We studied tweets posted by official accounts of these parties’ headquarters and branches, as well as by other Twitter accounts that are institutionally linked to these parties. We found significant differences between the government bloc and the opposition bloc as well as between People Alliance and Nation Alliance in terms of the themes with which they associate democracy. The government bloc and People Alliance use themes such as national will and military coups while referring to democracy. The opposition bloc and Nation Alliance emphasise themes such as equality, freedom of the press, and justice. We conclude that parties’ and blocs’ different attitudes towards democracy are indicators of political polarisation in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of pitting corrosion of Type 304L stainless steel (SS) exposed to highly concentrated chloride solutions were studied through the evaluation of the corrosion potential, the pitting potential, the structure of the passive layer and the statistics of pitting depth and density. Both as-received and weld metal samples were studied. The weld metal sample was machined from the welding zone of a butt weld of Type 304L SS. The results showed an accelerated anodic dissolution and depressed film resistance at the welding zone, but no dramatic change on pitting corrosion was observed from the statistics of pitting during the test duration up to 720 h. The pitting corrosion resistance was significantly affected by the chloride concentration and slightly affected by the temperature under the investigated conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The influence of electropolishing at different conditions on the electrochemical behaviour of 316L stainless steel (316L SS) in simulated body fluid (SBF) was investigated. Accordingly, 316L SS samples were electropolished in several electropolishing baths of H3PO4and H2SO4at 2–6 applied volts and 50–110°C for different time intervals. The corrosion behaviour then was studied by means of potentiodynamic polarisation technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in SBF at 37°C. The surface morphology was also investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The results proved that the treated samples had better corrosion resistance than nonpolished one. The highest corrosion resistance was observed for the treated sample at 5 V and 90°C in 10:90 ratio of acidic electrolyte (H3PO4:H2SO4) for 15 min. Moreover, the corrosion resistances of anodically treated samples were found to be dependent greatly on applied volt, bath temperature, polishing time and phosphoric to sulphuric acids ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The corrosion behaviour of cenospheres metal matric syntactic foams of different compositions in 3.5 wt-% NaCl aqueous solution at ∼25°C was investigated. The electrochemical properties of the composites were assessed experimentally, employing potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Appropriate equivalent electrical circuits were proposed. Results showed that the corrosion rate is higher for the metal matrix syntactic foams compared to pure sintered aluminium. As the volume fraction of cenospheres increases cenospheres fragments and the presence of reaction zones seems to have a greater effect on the corrosion behaviour of the composites compared to the presence of unintended porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article outlines the advantages of a deliberative democratic approach to ‘illiberal cultures’ and polarised debates in contemporary multicultural societies. In doing so, it draws on the insights of agonistic pluralism, and shows that a cross-fertilisation between certain variants of deliberative democracy and agonistic pluralism is both possible and desirable. Focusing particularly on the works of John Dryzek and William Connolly, the article highlights three normative criteria for polities to aspire to, if not fully achieve, to democratise the debates over illiberal cultural practices. These include: i) an expanded notion of inclusion underpinned by the principle of agonistic respect; ii) the presence of spaces that facilitate interaction and contestation among the multiple publics of a culturally contested issue; and iii) the generation of concrete outcomes based on discursive contestation among multiple publics. To illustrate how approximation to these criteria might look in practice, the article focuses on the example of the honour-killing debate in Britain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different ways of investigation were applied to address the main difficulties of electrolytically refining the tin-based lead-free soldering waste materials in chloride solutions. The characteristics of electrorefining and the phenomena of electrocrystallisation have been targeted by examining the electrode processes with different copper and silver concentrations in the anodes. Galvanostatic experiments were carried out using a specially developed system detecting the changes in the electrode masses continually, complemented by the recording of the electrode potentials. In order to clarify the main cathode and anode processes, further investigations were carried out by the potentiodynamic technique. Galvanostatic results pointed out the causes of current losses and rough deposit structure. Potentiodynamic examinations have demonstrated the strong influence of material transport on the electrode processes. Nevertheless, with a quasi-optimised procedure, cathode tin of higher purity than technical standards could be achieved from the soldering waste material in a conventional cell. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The inhibitive action and adsorption behaviour of pomegranate leave extract (PGLE) on corrosion of carbon steel in 1M HCl solution at 293–333 K was investigated through chemical (weight loss measurements), electrochemical (potentiodynamic polarisation) and surface analysis [Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)] methods. Results obtained shows that the adsorption of PGLE molecules on the C steel surface obeyed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and acts as mixed type inhibitor for C steel in 1M HCl with anodic as its dominant inhibitor at high concentration. The inhibitory property of the extract was discussed in terms of the mechanism by which its components adsorb onto the C steel surface. Activation energy of corrosion and other thermodynamic parameters such as standard free energy, standard enthalpy and standard entropy of the adsorption process as well as FTIR and XRD examinations of the electrode surface revealed that the corrosion inhibition of C steel in 1M HCl in the presence of PGLE is mainly controlled by the physical adsorption process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The inhibitory influence of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) on 904L stainless steel (SS) in LiBr solution was investigated by potentiodynamic polarisation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The results showed that the inhibition efficiency of CTAB increases with the increasing concentration. The adsorption of CTAB on 904L SS surface obeys the Langmuir isotherm equation. The data reveal that the CTAB was of mixed-type inhibitor. The thermodynamic parameters for the corrosion of 904L SS in 1.0 M LiBr solution were calculated and discussed. The EIS data are in agreement with potentiodynamic polarisation measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Supermartensitic stainless steels (SMSSs) allow high mechanical strength with better corrosion resistance and toughness than conventional martensitic stainless steels. The SMSS steels with 12–13%Cr have been studied and applied in the oil and gas offshore production. The increase of Cr content, and the addition of Mo and W is now being investigated to increase mechanical and pitting corrosion resistance. In this work, a new 17%Cr steel, with Mo and W additions was studied. Depending on the final tempering treatment, the steel has a complex microstructure of austenite, ferrite, martensite and precipitates. The pitting corrosion resistance also depends on the microstructure produced by tempering. It was found that the pitting potential slightly decreases with the increase of tempering temperature and is further decreased by the double-tempering treatment. The pits initiate and grow preferentially in the martensite or tempered martensite islands, due to the lower Cr, Mo and W contents of these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The effects of ultrasound on the initiation, growth and repassivation behaviours of pitting corrosion of SUS 304 stainless steel in NaCl aqueous solution were investigated by applying constant current density, constant potential and polarisation. Lower potentials at constant current and higher currents at constant potential responded to ultrasound applied in the passive state. Higher pitting potential was observed when ultrasound was applied from the passive state to the noble direction of potential. Ultrasound also promoted the repassivation of pits. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• Analyses the effects of political homogeneity and heterogeneity in citizens' conversation networks on ideological position • Other things being equal, membership of more politically homogenous conversation networks leads individuals into more extreme political evaluations • Network homogeneity drives polarisation of political attitudes and creates larger perceived gulfs between individuals' own views and the views they ascribe to parties opposed by their conversation partners. Persuasion is a well-known consequence of political discussion between citizens: people bring their partisan and ideological views into line with those of their discussion partners. Less often considered is another aspect of this process: does persuasion in conversation networks increase the gap individuals perceive between their own views and those of groups or parties opposed by their discussion partners? Building on work which suggests that ideological homogeneity within networks leads to increased polarisation and drives individuals to relative political extremes, the article examines British voters' perceptions of parties whose views they do not share. The more internally homogeneous the partisan message coming from their main discussion partners, the more extreme individuals become in their views, and the greater the gulf they perceive between themselves and parties not supported by their networks. But the effect is evident only on issues which are politically salient, suggesting this is a real conversation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion behaviour of 304 austenitic stainless steel in simulated oilfield produced water at ∼25°C was investigated. The electrochemical properties of 304 stainless steel were assessed experimentally employing potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The corrosion mechanism of 304 stainless steel in simulated oilfield produced water along with appropriate modelling equivalent electrical circuits were deducted. Results showed that the corrosion rate is reduced with time. This behaviour does not indicate protection of 304 stainless steel. Instead, pits were formed on the surface of the specimens, and their evolution continued with time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The effect of chloride ions' presence (0·005-1·0M NaCl) in phosphoric acid solutions (5, 40 and 75%) on the corrosion behaviour of three austenitic stainless steels (an experimental steel Fe-18Cr-12Mn-0·6N and two trade grades, Fe-18Cr-9Ni and Fe-14Cr-15Mn-0·2N) has been studied by potentiodynamic polarisation measurements. The surface examinations of the samples tested involved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as optical and scanning electron microscopy. It was established that chlorides added to phosphoric acid solutions deteriorate the general corrosion resistance, and under anodic polarisation, they provoke pitting corrosion. The composition of the stainless steels significantly influences its corrosion behaviour in the phosphoric acid solutions containing chloride ions. The replacement of nickel with manganese and nitrogen on top of lower chromium content has a strong negative effect on the corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the corrosion behaviours of carbon steel immersed in sterile natural sea water with and without strain Bacillus cereus. Electrochemical studies, including Tafel plots and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed to evaluate the variation of the corrosion behaviour of carbon steel in medium containing B. cereus as compared to the sterile control samples. The results of Tafel plot measurements showed significant reduction in the corrosion rate in the presence of bacterial biofilm produced by strain B. cereus. The EIS data showed that the charge transfer resistance is greater in a medium containing B. cereus and increases with immersion time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytate had been investigated as a corrosion inhibitor for NdFeB magnets in an aqueous salt solution. Potentiodynamic polarisation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy were employed for this investigation. The polarisation curves results revealed that phytate acted as a mixed type inhibitor. The inhibition efficiency was found to increase by maximum 96.5% through increasing the phytate concentration to 0.5 mM at 30°C. The inhibition was proposed to result from the adsorption of phytate on NdFeB magnets, which was found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibition mechanism was explored by the potential of zero charge ( Epzc) measurement at the solution/metal interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for light-weighting in transport and consumer electronics has seen rapid growth in the commercial usage of magnesium (Mg). The major use of Mg is now in cast Mg products, as opposed to the use of Mg as an alloying element in other alloy systems and there is an emerging market of wrought Mg products and biomedical Mg components - such that the past two decades have seen a significant number of new Mg-alloys reported. None-the-less, the corrosion of Mg alloys continues to be a challenge facing engineers seeking weight reductions by deployment of Mg. Herein, authors review the influence of alloying on the corrosion of Mg-alloys, with particular emphasis on the underlying electrochemical kinetics that dictate the ultimate corrosion rate. Such a review focusing on the chemistry-corrosion link, both in depth and in a holistic approach, is lacking. As such the authors do not describe aspects such as high-temperature oxidation or cracking, but focus on delivering the state-of-the-art with regards to alloying influences on corrosion kinetics. It has been demonstrated that Mg itself will not be thermodynamically passive in environments of pH<11, regardless of the extent and type of alloying and hence corrosion kinetics require unique attention. Authors consolidate the presentation to include essentially all commercially available alloys and in excess of 350 custom alloys with wide variations in composition; in addition to reviewing the range of intermetallic compounds and impurities that form in such alloys systems. An update is also given regarding mechanistic advances and the role of grain size on corrosion of Mg. A wider understanding of the role of chemical effects upon corrosion of Mg is both timely and serves to highlight metallurgical approaches towards kinetically retarding the corrosion problem. The latter is of key relevance to next generation lightweight alloys and rational design of wrought Mg and bio-Mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder metallurgy superaustenitic stainless steel sintered in N2-H2 atmosphere (95%-5%) was obtained. Three different processes were applied by controlling the sinter-cooling rate (furnace, gas and water). Intergranular corrosion resistance was evaluated. Furthermore, microstructure, density, porosity, macro- and microhardness were investigated. Microstructures were characterised by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive analysis of X-rays. Intergranular corrosion behaviour was evaluated by immersion and by single and double loop electrochemical potentio-kinetic reactivation tests. The superaustenitic steel after fast cooling by water quenching showed the best intergranular corrosion behaviour, the highest microhardness values and the most homogeneous microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of polarisation (including cathodic and anodic polarisation) on mechanical properties and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility ( ISCC) of 7050 aluminium alloy have been investigated by means of polarisation and slow strain rate test. The results of cathodic polarisation experiments showed that the ISCC increased with shifting negatively the polarisation potential when the cathodic potential EC≧−1100 mV(SCE), while it decreased with shifting negatively the polarisation potential when the cathodic potential EC<−1100 mV(SCE). Anodic polarisation experiments demonstrated that the ISCC increased severely with increasing the polarisation potential. In addition, the extents for the effect of polarisation potential on ISCC were different among the 7050 aluminium alloy under various aging states. Polarisation was of the biggest effect on the ISCC of under aged state, the smallest effect of over aged state and the middle effect of peak aged state. The SCC mechanism of aluminium alloy was a combination of anodic dissolution and hydrogen embrittlement, and the effects of hydrogen on SCC increased with increasing the hydrogen concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate equation of hydrogen evolution reaction of spheroidal graphite cast iron with different pearlite area has been studied in sulphuric acid solutions at 298 K. The cathodic Tafel slope of −0·130 V/decade and the reaction order with respect to the activity of hydrogen ion of 1 are obtained by linear potential sweep technique. The rate equation of hydrogen evolution reaction does not depend on the area of pearlite. There is no difference in hydrogen evolution reaction mechanisms between pure iron and spheroidal graphite cast iron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, Ni-W/SiC composite coatings were electrodeposited from a plating bath containing suspension of SiC particles. The influences of SiC particle concentration in the plating bath on the composition of composite coatings were investigated. The surface morphology and composition of the composite coatings were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray measurements and X-ray diffraction analysis. The corrosion characteristics of Ni-W/SiC composite coatings were investigated by mass loss and electrochemical measurements, including open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarisation in a 3·5 wt-%NaCl solution. The results showed that the addition of SiC particle to the deposition bath of Ni-W significantly increased the corrosion resistance. The significant improvement in corrosion resistance observed for Ni-W/SiC composite coatings (17100 Ω cm2) compared to Ni-W (5619 Ω cm2) could have resulted from the microstructural differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphoric acid concentration (5–85%) effects on the corrosion behaviour of austenitic Fe–18Cr–12Mn–N steel have been studied by potentiodynamic polarisation measurements. After the anodic polarisation, both the film composition and the electronic structure have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The specimen surface examinations have been carried out by scanning electron microscopy. The results of the corrosion behaviour of the steel at issue have been compared to those relevant to two trademark materials [austenitic stainless steels AISI 304 (Fe–18Cr–9Ni) and X14AΓ15 (Fe–14Cr–15Mn–N)] and developed under the same test conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]