Search

Artworks, particularly easel paintings, are multi‐component materials intended to last indefinitely. The protective coatings applied to these artworks often consist of amorphous glass‐like polymers, which undergo slow physical aging and structural recovery below their glass transition temperature. This process alters key physical properties such as mechanical strength, optical clarity, and thermal stability over extended periods. This study investigates the time‐dependent evolution of these properties in Laropal A81, a widely used synthetic resin for cultural heritage conservation, particularly as a replacement for ancient varnishes. The investigation involves characterization of enthalpy recovery via differential scanning calorimetry, refractive index evolution via refractometry, and creep compliance evolution via rheological measurements. The aging behavior of Laropal A81 is further analyzed using the Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts function and the Tool–Narayanaswamy–Moynihan model, enabling the quantification of critical dynamic parameters such as activation energy, nonlinearity, partition coefficients, and non‐exponentiality. The gained insights into the long‐term behavior of this coating's properties can be valuable for improving preservation and restoration strategies for cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) is an external reinforcement solution for wooden structures, where several studies have shown its efficiency in maintenance and design. This solution is not yet among the main topics of literature, although its importance justifies new research on this relevant topic for construction. This systematic literature review involves the FRP as reinforcement in wood-based columns, using Engineering Village and Web of Science databases and PRISMA protocol to follow the procedures and ensure the quality of sampling. Reinforcement dispositions and types of assessments were identified so that the literature synthesis can contribute to identifying behavior models. Different methods of reinforcement sizing studied by the literature were synthesized and detailed as to their respective uses. A positive correlation between the reinforcement index and the increasing the load capacity of timber columns were discussed and statistically analyzed.

Summary: This study delves into the influence of soy lecithin addition aimed at augmenting the structural recovery and enhancing textural similarities between protein oleogels and solid fats. The co‐oleogelation of soy protein isolate (SPI) and xanthan gum (XG) with lecithin was explored to structure sunflower oil. Oleogels incorporating lecithin concentrations ranging from 4% to 12% were examined for their textural properties and structural recovery performance. Results indicate that these oleogel formulations exhibit comparable textural properties to solid fats, signifying the potential of lecithin as a co‐oleogelator. Moreover, the incorporation of lecithin enhanced the structural recovery of the SPI‐XG oleogel, leading to no oil release when put under pressure, further emphasising its role in improving the overall quality of protein‐based oleogel systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a biodegradable material, wood is subject to deterioration if proper conservation techniques are not observed. Thus, several buildings, especially those of historical heritage, present pathological manifestations that can cause accidents. The interventions in these constructions must be planned to maintain the original elements and the aesthetics of the environment, with the indication of fixing additional elements in the degraded structure. The modification of the section of structural elements is commonly observed in the literature; however, few studies have been intended to analyze the effects of reinforcement in these geometrically discontinuous elements. Furthermore, the use of screwed steel plates guarantees greater ease of execution, even though it is not yet a method that has been well explored in the scientific literature. The objective of this study was to propose an equation for estimating the flexural stiffness of wooden beams with loss of cross-section that are then reinforced with screwed steel plates using a regression model. The considered variables correlated the elastic modulus of the wood and the reinforcement, the configuration of the defect, and the reinforcement. It was possible to identify that the properties of the wood and the position of the defect were variables with a significant impact on the stiffness of the reinforced beam.

As a biodegradable material, wood is subject to deterioration if proper conservation techniques are not observed. Thus, several buildings, especially those of historical heritage, present pathological manifestations that can cause accidents. The interventions in these constructions must be planned to maintain the original elements and the aesthetics of the environment, with the indication of fixing additional elements in the degraded structure. The modification of the section of structural elements is commonly observed in the literature; however, few studies have been intended to analyze the effects of reinforcement in these geometrically discontinuous elements. Furthermore, the use of screwed steel plates guarantees greater ease of execution, even though it is not yet a method that has been well explored in the scientific literature. The objective of this study was to propose an equation for estimating the flexural stiffness of wooden beams with loss of cross-section that are then reinforced with screwed steel plates using a regression model. The considered variables correlated the elastic modulus of the wood and the reinforcement, the configuration of the defect, and the reinforcement. It was possible to identify that the properties of the wood and the position of the defect were variables with a significant impact on the stiffness of the reinforced beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planar primitives tend to be incorrectly detected or incomplete in complex scenes where adhesions exist between different objects, resulting in topology errors in the reconstructed models. We propose a semantic-guided building reconstruction method known as semantic-guided reconstruction (SGR), which is capable of achieving the independence and integrity of building models in two key stages. In the first stage, the space partition is represented by a 2.5D convex cell complex and is capable of restoring planar primitives that are easily lost and can further infer the potential structural adaptivity. The second stage incorporates semantic information into a graph-cut formulation that can assist in the independent reconstruction of buildings while eliminating interference from the surrounding environment. Our experimental results confirmed that the SGR method can authentically reconstruct weakly observed surfaces. Furthermore, qualitative and quantitative evaluations show that SGR is suitable for reconstructing surfaces from insufficient data with semantic and geometric ambiguity or semantic errors and can obtain watertight models considering fidelity, integrity and time complexity.

Amplified by warming temperatures and drought, recent outbreaks of native bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) have caused extensive tree mortality throughout Europe and North America. Despite their ubiquitous nature and important effects on ecosystems, forest recovery following such disturbances is poorly understood, particularly across regions with varying abiotic conditions and outbreak effects.To better understand post‐outbreak recovery across a topographically complex region, we synthesized data from 16 field studies spanning subalpine forests in the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA. From 1997 to 2019, these forests were heavily affected by outbreaks of three native bark beetle species (Dendroctonus ponderosae, Dendroctonus rufipennis and Dryocoetes confusus). We compared pre‐ and post‐outbreak forest conditions and developed region‐wide predictive maps of post‐outbreak (1) live basal areas, (2) juvenile densities and (3) height growth rates for the most abundant tree species – aspen (Populus tremuloides), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa).Beetle‐caused tree mortality reduced the average diameter of live trees by 28.4% (5.6 cm), and species dominance was altered on 27.8% of field plots with shifts away from pine and spruce. However, most plots (82.1%) were likely to recover towards pre‐outbreak tree densities without additional regeneration. Region‐wide maps indicated that fir and aspen, non‐host species for bark beetle species with the most severe effects (i.e. Dendroctonus spp.), will benefit from outbreaks through increased compositional dominance. After accounting for individual size, height growth for all conifer species was more rapid in sites with low winter precipitation, high winter temperatures and severe outbreaks.Synthesis. In subalpine forests of the US Rocky Mountains, recent bark beetle outbreaks have reduced tree size and altered species composition. While eventual recovery of the pre‐outbreak forest structure is likely in most places, changes in species composition may persist for decades. Still, forest communities following bark beetle outbreaks are widely variable due to differences in pre‐outbreak conditions, outbreak severity and abiotic gradients. This regional variability has critical implications for ecosystem services and susceptibility to future disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, biomaterials for cartilage regeneration has been intensively investigated. However, the development of scaffolds that capture regenerated cartilage with biomechanical and structural recovery has rarely been reported. To address this challenge, platelet-rich plasma (PRP)-based cartilage constructs with a well-orchestrated symphony of cellular, biochemical and biomechanical elements were prepared by simultaneously employing chondrogenic progenitor cells (CPCs) as a cell source, optimizing platelet concentration, and adding an enzyme-ion activator. It was shown that this triple-optimized PRP + CPC construct possessed increased biomechanical properties and suitable biochemical signals. The following in vitro study demonstrated that the triple-optimized PRP + CPC constructs generated cartilage-like tissue with higher expression levels of chondrogenic-specific markers, more deposition of cartilage-specific extracellular matrix (ECM), and greater biomechanical values than those of the other constructs. Twelve weeks after the construct was implanted in a cartilage defect in vivo, histological analysis, qPCR, and biomechanical tests collectively showed that the triple-optimized constructs yielded a more chondrocyte-like cell phenotype with a higher synthesis of Col-II and aggrecan. More importantly, the triple-optimized constructs facilitated cartilage regeneration with better biomechanical recovery than that of the other constructs. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the triple-optimization strategy and highlight the simplicity and potency of this PRP + CPC construct for cartilage regeneration.

Cangialosi, Alegría, and Colmenero have made a comment on a paper of ours [Polym. Eng. Sci. 2022:1–13], in which we discussed the concern that the enthalpy recovery data reported by Cangialosi and co‐workers [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2013;111(9):095701] for polystyrene aged up to 15 K below glass transition temperature was anomalous and contradicted existing experimental results from the literature over a similar range of aging conditions. Their response shifts the focus away from the raised questions about their experimental results and attempts to invalidate the data that we cited in support of our argument. Here we respond to the comment and add additional analysis that suggests the structural recovery response of glassy materials exhibits smooth behavior over the full range of measurements, up to 7 or 8 logarithmic decades. We do this by referring to the work on the intrinsic isotherm down‐jump and memory responses of poly(vinyl acetate) between 40°C and 15°C over six logarithmic decades by Kovacs [Fortsch. Hochpolym. Fo. 1963;3(1/2):394–508], the small‐strain tensile creep of poly(vinyl chloride) quenched from 90°C to 40°C (approximately 40°C below Tg) over seven logarithmic decades from Struik [Polym Eng. Sci., 1977;17:165–173], and the volume recovery behavior for aging times up to 3 months in a temperature range between 95°C and −50°C by Greiner and Schwarzl [Rheol. Acta. 1984;23(4):378–395]. We also add discussion that an isothermal aging procedure using a vacuum oven is highly vulnerable to temperature errors due to the problem of good temperature control when the heat transfer mechanism is primarily radiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent efforts, fostered by a pioneering work by us, have shown the of multiple steps in the recovery of equilibrium of glasses. Jin and McKenna raise concerns regarding the validity of such scenario alleging that the multiple recovery steps would be an artifact arising from poor temperature control in the oven used for isothermal glass equilibration. We critically discuss Jin and McKenna arguments from both the viewpoints of scrutinizing previous literature data and that of the temperature control in the oven. In doing so, we provide compelling arguments that Jin and McKenna conjectures are unjustified and point out the need for efforts to describe glass dynamics significantly below the glass transition temperature, Tg, by accounting for the presence of different relaxation mechanisms active in glass equilibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT There are several technologies to recover and strengthen timber structures. Two usual alternatives are: the use of steel plates screwed and carbon fiber mats glued with epoxy adhesive. A gap was observed in the literature regarding the study of reinforcement in hardwood timber beams with cross-section loss, commonly found in attacks by biotic or abiotic agents. This study aimed to analyze the flexural stiffness recovery capacity of steel plate screwed to a timber beam with different cross-sectional losses, with a special interest in the effect caused by different bolt arrangements. The results were compared with simulations made using a carbon fiber mat (CF). It was possible to observe that, despite presenting lower efficiency than the CD, the use of steel plate screwed could return the initial stiffness in some models, and the specification of the bolts is relevant in obtaining the results.

There is considerable interest in data reported by Cangialosi et al. [Cangialosi, D., Boucher, V. M., Alegría, A., & Colmenero, J. (2013). Physical Review Letters, 111(9), 095701] that purportedly showed unusual irregular responses in the isothermal structural recovery behavior of glasses because the observation challenges the general view of the dynamics being smooth functions of time as observed in extensive dilatometric experiments by Kovacs [Kovacs, A. J. (1964). In Fortschritte der Hochpolymeren‐Forschung, 3, 394–507. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.] in the 1960s. The reported data show an apparent two mechanism structural (enthalpy) recovery at aging temperatures ranging from 6 to 17 K below Tg which is also controversial as it could not be reproduced in work from Koh and Simon [Koh, Y. P., & Simon, S. L. (2013). Macromolecules, 46(14), 5815–5821.] where a second plateau observed in the enthalpy loss curve was not reproduced in nearly 1‐year‐long experiments at 15 K below Tg. Therefore, it is important to determine what might be possible reasons for the apparent non‐smooth relaxations. Here, we examine the possibility that the poor temperature control of a typical vacuum oven could explain the anomalous results. We used the Tool–Narayanaswamy–Moynihan (TNM) model of structural recovery to calculate the effect of typical vacuum oven temperature variation on the structural recovery of polystyrene and find that we can reproduce the reported experimental results. The issue of temperature control using a vacuum oven is discussed, and data from thermocouple measurements of temperature at various locations inside a vacuum oven are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a novel design and fabrication strategy to produce architected structures for use as the core in composite sandwich structures. A traditional foam core or honeycomb structure is lightweight and stiff, but susceptible to permanent deformation when subjected to excessive loading. Here we propose the use of an architected structure composed of arrays of hollow truncated cone unit cells that dissipate energy and exhibit structural recovery. These structures, printed with a viscoelastic material, rely on buckling of their sidewalls to dissipate energy and snap-back to prevent permanent deformation. We explore the mechanical response of these conical unit cells in terms of their buckling strength and post-buckling stability condition and develop design maps for the same by relating them to non-dimensional geometric parameters α,β,γ where α represents the slenderness of the curved sidewalls, β is the angle of the sidewall to the base, and γ represents the curvature of the sidewall. A validated finite element model is developed and used to investigate the effect of these parameters. We show that the volume normalized peak buckling load is directly proportional to both α & β, but is independent of γ. The post-buckling stability is influenced by γ as a large radius of curvature makes the structure less likely to exhibit structural bistability. Due to viscoelastic dissipation, for certain geometric parameters, the structures exhibit pseudo-bistability which allows them to recover to their original configurations without the need for external stimuli or energy.

Much of the lowland tropical forests in the Solomon Islands have been heavily logged. However, little is known about the recovery status of these forests. We examined factors that influenced the recovery of forest structural attributes within 50 years after selective logging on Kolombangara Island in the western Solomon Islands. Twelve study sites—six logged and six unlogged—were identified across the Island, with two logged sites in each of three recovery-time classes: 10, 30, and 50 years after logging. Within each study site, 12 0.1-ha plots were randomly established, and a series of forest attributes measured in each plot. Our results revealed that local logging intensity and soil attributes have stronger influence on forest-structural recovery than do site attributes such as local topography or tree architecture. Furthermore, half a century of regeneration following logging is insufficient to permit full recovery of forest structure. We conclude that logged forests on Kolombangara and possibly across the Solomon Islands may not fully recover structurally before the next logging cycle, in the absence of a policy on re-entry harvesting. The development of such a policy coupled with robust forest-management measures is pivotal to facilitating sustainable logging while supporting biodiversity conservation in the Solomon Islands. This may be the last best hope for saving lowland forests and their biodiversity on this unique tropical archipelago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An unusual shear-thickening behavior was observed in 10% w/w gelatinized waxy potato and waxy corn starch dispersions at shear rates around 20 s−1. However, the phenomenon was not found in gelatinized dispersions of waxy rice. The aim of this study was to investigate reasons for the observed shear-thickening behavior as well as its relationship with the amylopectin molecular structure. This unique phenomenon only appears at a shear rate of about 20 s−1 during the increasing shear rate stage of the first cycle of a two-cycle steady shear flow test. After 7 d storage, the shear-thickening behavior of waxy potato starch dispersions disappeared, while it remained in waxy corn starch dispersions. A small strain temperature sweep test applied to waxy potato starch dispersions stored for 7 d showed a significant increase in the elastic behavior of dispersions at temperatures lower than 60 °C. This behavior was not observed on fresh and 7 d stored waxy corn and waxy rice dispersions. The study provides valuable information on a unique rheological behavior of waxy starch dispersions and its relationship to the amylopectin structure, thus opening opportunities for the design of novel foods with desired nutritional and textural properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure and optical properties of CeO 2 /TiO 2 -doped boroalumnosilicate glass with the composition 54SiO 2 -10B 2 O 3 -13Al 2 O 3 -14Na 2 O-3ZnO-2Li 2 O-4CaF 2 before and after gamma irradiation at varied dose were investigated by spectroscopy analysis. The results indicated that doping CeO 2 and/or TiO 2 can significantly improve structural stability against irradiation and that solely doping CeO 2 or appropriate co-doping of CeO 2 /TiO 2 achieves a perfect stabilization on optical property. A model based on self-repairing that irradiation may recover the structural defect via microstructure reconfiguration amid network depolymerization is employed to explain gamma irradiation-induced structural stability and stabilization of optical properties in presence of CeO 2 /TiO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical treatment of structural brain damage today is largely limited to symptomatic approaches and the avoidance of secondary injury. However, neuronal precursor cells are constantly produced within specified regions of the mammalian brain throughout life. Here we evaluate the potential of the known chemoattractive properties of the glycoprotein laminin on neuroblasts to relocate the cells into damaged brain areas. Injection of a thin laminin tract, leading from the rostral migratory stream to an excitotoxic lesion within the medial prefrontal cortex of rats, enabled neuroblasts to migrate away from their physiological route towards the olfactory bulb into the lesion site. Once they reached the damaged tissue, they migrated further in a non-uniform orientation within the lesion. Furthermore, our data indicate that the process of diverted migration is still active 6 weeks after the treatment and that at least some of the neuroblasts are capable of maturing into adult neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural recovery of amorphous glassy materials is nonlinear and nonexponential, and the relaxation process can be described by the phenomenological Tool-Narayanaswamy-Moynihan and Kovacs-Aklonis-Hutchinson-Ramos models. The nonlinearity parameter x in these models can be determined by several methods, including inflectional analysis, time-temperature superposition, and a new modified temperature-jump method, the latter a modification of the two-step Lagasse et al.'s method. The activation energy ∆ h/ R can also be determined by the first two methods. In this paper, the applicability of these methods for determining x and ∆ h/ R is analyzed using simulated structural recovery data as a function of aging time, after cooling at high rates such as those obtainable experimentally using Flash DSC. The results indicate that the activation energy obtained by the time-temperature superposition method is slightly better than that estimated by the inflectional analysis method. The results also indicate that the nonlinearity parameter x can be obtained by the inflectional analysis method for β = 1.0 and for low x and high β. On the other hand, the new modified temperature-jump method works for a broader range of x and β. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common and often inconspicuous wound that is frequently associated with chronic low-grade symptoms and cognitive dysfunction. Previous evidence suggests that daily blue wavelength light therapy may be effective at reducing fatigue and improving sleep in patients recovering from mTBI. However, the effects of light therapy on recovering brain structure remain unexplored. In this study, we analyzed white matter diffusion properties, including generalized fractional anisotropy, and the quantity of water diffusion in isotropic (i.e., isotropic diffusion) and anisotropic fashion (i.e., quantitative anisotropy, QA) for fibers crossing 11 brain areas known to be significantly affected following mTBI. Specifically, we investigated how 6 weeks of daily morning blue light exposure therapy (compared to an amber-light placebo condition) impacted changes in white matter diffusion in individuals with mTBI. We observed a significant impact of the blue light treatment (relative to the placebo) on the amount of water diffusion (QA) for multiple brain areas, including the corpus callosum, anterior corona radiata, and thalamus. Moreover, many of these changes were associated with improvements in sleep latency and delayed memory. These findings suggest that blue wavelength light exposure may serve as one of the potential non-pharmacological treatments for facilitating structural and functional recovery following mTBI; they also support the use of QA as a reliable neuro-biomarker for mTBI therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work the flow induced orientation and the governing mechanism of structural recovery of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) filled polypropylene nanocomposites were investigated. A series of linear and nonlinear melt rheological measurements including stress growth and time sweep experiments were performed at different temperatures to study the structural breakdown, nanoparticles orientation, subsequent structural recovery and MWCNT loadings. The results showed that the structural recovery occurred in two stages. The first stage, initial agglomeration, showed a quick recovery which was independent of temperature, can be interpreted in terms of inter-particle van der Waals interactions. This structural recovery stage had major contribution in the storage modulus increment. The second stage of the recovery, secondary agglomeration, was slower and dependent on temperature, can be attributed to rotary diffusion of nanoparticles. This stage had minor contribution to the storage modulus increase. Storage modulus increment in both of these agglomeration was attributed to the increase of nanotube-nanotube contacts. Both of these stages were confirmed by transmission electron micrographs. These result were in a good agreement with those calculated using van der Waals and diffusion concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enthalpy recovery of polystyrene materials with narrow molecular weight distribution is studied by means of fast calorimetry. Two different molecular weights, Mw, have been investigated, namely 2000K and 212k. Intrinsic isotherm experiments at aging temperatures ranging from above to below the nominal Tg have been reported. The effect of the cooling rate on the glass transition temperature is also exanimated and it is showed that the cooling rate-dependence of the Tg is Vogel-Fulcher and not Arrhenius. The main finding is that the enthalpy recovery kinetics is not affected by the molecular weight showing that the contribution to free volume related due to chain terminals is negligible in the molecular weight range (212k-2000k) analysed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable oil organogelation is one of the most promising strategies to eliminate trans fatty acids in plastic fats. Organogels prepared with edible wax are stable at refrigerator and room temperature. Some functional properties (i.e., texture) of wax organogels can be improved by adding saturated triacylglycerols. Mixtures of fully hydrogenated soybean oil (FH) and candelilla wax (CW) were studied with and without the addition of high oleic safflower oil (HOSFO). Crystallization and melting behavior, X-ray diffraction, and crystalline microstructure of the mixtures were analyzed. The elastic modulus ( G ′), and the structural recovery after shear of the organogels were also assessed. Mixtures without HOSFO formed solid dispersions of CW and FH crystals, where up to ~ 10% CW crystals were incorporated into the FH crystal lattice. The vegetable oil solutions of FH/CW mixtures crystallized from the melt, developed mixed crystal networks composed of FH crystals in the β polymorph and CW in an orthorhombic subcell packing. As the systems crystallized in the most stable polymorph, only minor microstructural changes were shown along 28 days of storage at 25 °C. CW and FH crystals showed a synergistic effect on the elasticity of organogels. This was attributed to the large number FH crystals nucleated on the surface of CW crystals. The structural recovery after shear was superior for mixed organogels composed of CW platelets and grainy FH crystals compared to that of CW organogels. A recovery of up to 65.7% the G ′ of gels formed under static conditions was observed upon shearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural recovery of a single polystyrene thin film is studied using Flash differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for aging temperatures ranging from 50.5 to 100.5 °C and for aging times of up to 18,000 s (300 min). A high fictive temperature glass with T f ′ = 117.0 ± 0.5 °C, obtained after cooling at 1000 K/s, is employed in this study. Structural recovery is investigated by monitoring the evolution of the fictive temperature, T f , which initially remains unchanged and then decreases smoothly and approximately linearly with logarithmic aging time. Equilibrium is reached when T f = T a at the highest aging temperatures. The length of the initial plateau is longer for the lower aging temperatures and is related to the increase in the relaxation time with decreasing temperature along the glass line, increasing approximately one decade for every 21 K. This temperature dependence yields a normalized apparent activation energy (E a /R) of approximately 13 kK for the mobility along the glass line. On the other hand, the apparent activation energy for the mobility along the liquid line is 102 kK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, different rheological and physicochemical properties of normal corn starch as affected by different parameters of ultrasound and its simultaneous coupling with acid hydrolysis were studied. The results revealed that sonication and its combination with acid hydrolysis increased solubility of starch granules without destructing crystalline structure, while maximum complex viscosity, breakdown, and activation energy of gelatinisation decreased. Flow behaviour of samples sonicated in acidic solutions experienced a distinct transition from pseudoplastic to Newtonian behaviour. In addition, the gel elasticity, time-dependency, and structural recovery of samples were diminished. The results of present study would be of great value since ultrasound facilitated production of granular acid-thinned starch in less than an hour without using any additional chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural recovery of a single polystyrene thin film is investigated using nanocalorimetry at aging times as short as 0.01 s, as well as aging at temperatures as high as15 K above the nominal glass transition temperature for high fictive-temperature glasses obtained at high cooling rates. The results indicate that structural recovery progresses as expected when the aging temperature is low compared to the initial fictive temperature; in this case, the fictive temperature evolves smoothly towards the aging temperature at a rate that depends on the aging temperature and initial fictive temperature (i.e., on the cooling rate prior to aging), and at equilibrium, the fictive temperature T f = T a . For the case when the aging temperature is much higher than the initial fictive temperature, no relaxation occurs during isothermal aging. For the intermediate case when the aging temperature is in the vicinity of the initial fictive temperature, relaxation occurs both during isothermal aging and during cooling after aging, with the result that the equilibrium fictive temperature is lower than the aging temperature. The use of a new equation for the relaxation time in the framework of the Tool–Narayanaswamy–Moynihan (TNM) model allows description of the data with a single set of model parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroscopic volume as well as capacitive dilatometry (CD) measurements have been performed on polystyrene/silica nanocomposites during the course of physical aging below the glass transition temperature ( Tg). Our results show that the macroscopic volume recovery during physical aging is not affected by the presence of nanofillers, whereas the CD measurements, delivering also information on the polymer matrix density, show acceleration of the recovery with increasing the silica content. Hence, the main outcome of the present work is that the evolution of macroscopic and matrix densities are markedly different in polymer nanocomposites. We interpret these results invoking an equilibration mechanism based on volume holes diffusion. According to this model, excess free volume migration at the polymer/filler interface only modifies the matrix density, thereby explaining the faster recovery detected by CD measurements in comparison to the macroscopic volume one. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys., 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although the relationship between the relaxation timescales of thermodynamic, mechanical, viscoelastic, and dielectric properties in amorphous materials has been studied extensively, no general consensus has been reached. In this work, we examine the relationship between the timescales of volume and enthalpy relaxation for polystyrene using the cooling rate dependence of the glass transition temperature (T g) obtained from capillary dilatometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Our analysis suggests that both volume and enthalpy exhibit similar relaxation timescales at temperatures above and below T g. The divergence of the times required to reach equilibrium noted in the literature at temperatures several degrees below the nominal T g is attributed to the effects of nonlinearity. The relationship between nonlinearity and dynamic heterogeneity is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: New volume recovery measurements have been made on an epoxy glass for temperature down- and up-jumps from 1.0 to 4.0K to investigate the τ-effective paradox. Due to the sensitivity of the measurements and to the fact that data points are obtained linearly in time, we are able to accurately measure the effective relaxation time at much smaller departures from equilibrium than those examined originally by Kovacs and subsequently by other researchers. The paradox is observed for the largest (2.0 and 4.0K) up-jumps performed at the highest aging temperature. The magnitude of the expansion gap disappears as the departure from equilibrium approaches zero indicating a resolution of the paradox. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Raman spectroscopy and the powder diffraction technique have been used to monitor the recovery process of two partially metamict zircons (2.6 and 4.8 × 1018 α-decays g−1) from Sri Lanka during a series of isothermal annealing experiments in the temperature range from 870 to 1622 K. These experiments show for the first time that structural recovery in partially metamict zircon proceeds via three distinct recovery stages, each of which occurs within a distinct time-temperature regime. Whereas the first two stages have previously been recognized (recovery of damaged crystalline remnants and epitaxial recrystallization), the third stage has not yet been identified as a single activated process. It is suggested that anisotropic defect annealing during the first stage at low temperatures, where the structure recovers preferentially along the a( b) plane, produces a geometrical situation where large structural rearrangements are necessary to remove the remaining defects inside the crystalline material. This situation is approximately reached when the amorphous domains start to recrystallize. The reason for anisotropic annealing can be found in a different connectivity between polyhedral linkages in both directions of the zircon lattice. High apparent activation energies, in the range of 6.4 to 7.9 eV, were determined for the third recovery stage from the Raman data, which are interpreted to reflect large structural rearrangements (i.e. polyhedral tilting) associated with the final recovery of the c axis. This explains the occurrence of a distinct recrystallization stage without defect annealing. Finally, it should be mentioned that the first recovery stage is not necessarily expected to occur in less damaged zircon crystals (<∼2 × 1018 α-decays g−1), since less stable defects along the basal plane might have already been self-annealed during radiation damage accumulation under ambient temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin graphite foils bombarded with an intense high-energy (8.6 MeV/u) gold beam reaching fluences up to 1 × 10 15 ions/cm 2 lead to swelling and electrical resistivity changes. As shown earlier, these effects are diminished with increasing irradiation temperature. The work reported here extends the investigation of beam induced changes of these samples by structural analysis using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. A nearly complete recovery from swelling at irradiation temperatures above about 1500 °C is identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term storage of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) may lead to granule inactivation and disintegration. Granule recovery in both structure and activity is important for scale-up and stability of AGS, but information about the structure recovery of stored AGS is limited. In addition, whether short-term exogenous N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) regulations could accelerate the granule recovery and sustain positive effects on AGS is unknown. Herein, the recovery of 33-month stored AGS was performed in three reactors for 38 days (phase I) at different exogenous AHLs concentrations (0, 50 and 500 nM of AHL-mixtures in R0, R1 and R2, respectively) and for an extended 45 days without exogenous AHLs (phase II). Results demonstrated successful recovery of disintegrated AGS in all reactors, although it was relatively time-consuming in R0. The treatment performance was similar among the reactors and steady-state removal of COD (90%) and NH 4 +-N (94%) could be recovered within 7 and 21 days, respectively. However, exogenous AHLs regulation (especially in R1) obviously accelerated bioactivity recovery of heterotrophs and nitrifiers and improved granule characteristics, including biomass, density, hydrophobicity and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). During phase II, sustainable positive effects remained in R1, but granule characteristics deteriorated in R2. The abundance of functional genera Thauera , Nitrosomonas and Candidatus_Nitrotoga , contributed to the rapid recovery and helped maintain the structure and activity of AGS. The predictive functional profiling of bacterial communities also demonstrated sustainably higher activities of metabolism, growth and signal sensing under exogenous AHLs regulation at an appropriate content. [Display omitted] • AGS after 33 months storage was used as inocula for start-up of AGS bioreactors. • Successful recovery of structure and activity of stored AGS was demonstrated. • Appropriate AHLs accelerated granule recovery and improved granule characteristics. • Short-term exogenous AHLs regulation could sustain positive effects on AGS. • Enrichment of functional genera contributed to rapid recovery of stored AGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study on the time-dependent rheology of highly concentrated and flocculated suspensions of bauxite residue (red mud) is presented. Both the thixotropic breakdown with shear and recovery at rest have been quantitatively examined using a vane-shear instrument and a capillary rheometer. It is demonstrated that both the yield stress and the apparent viscosity of the material can be drastically reduced, by orders of magnitude, by shear-induced agitation with a simple anchor impeller. The rate of thixotropic decay is a function of solids concentration, agitation time and speed. With prolonged agitation, the flow properties are brought to an equilibrium level characterized by a finite yield stress and a shear rate-dependent (shear-thinning) viscosity. In the absence of shear, the yield stress gradually increases with time but at a rate considerably slower than the rate of decay in the shear field. Even after an extended rest period of several months, only a fraction of the initial yield stress can be regained. The observed behaviour has been interpreted in terms of a time-dependent but non-reversible transformation of a network structure of flocculated particles initially developed in the red mud. Using a structural kinetic approach, models have been developed for correlating the experimental kinetic data. The paper concludes with a discussion on the practical consequences of the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Natural mud layers having different densities are collected from Port of Hamburg. • Artificial mud layers are prepared by diluting the consolidated/dense mud layer. • Natural and diluted mud layers displayed significantly different rheological impression. • Composition and density of mud along with the mixing method affect the rheological properties. Natural mud usually exhibits non-Newtonian rheological behaviors like viscoelasticity, thixotropy and yield stress. The history of each mud sample is also an important factor influencing the rheological behavior, as the state of the clay fabric – for a same composition – is dependent on the shear stresses experienced previously by the sample. Several rheological tests including stress ramp-up, oscillatory frequency sweep and structural recovery tests were performed, in order to analyse the rheological fingerprint of the mud samples collected from two different locations of the Port of Hamburg. The yield stress, storage moduli and structural recovery of mud from the same location was studied as a function of density for two series of samples. One series consisted of samples ("natural samples") taken in-situ as a function of depth (with increasing density as a function of depth) whereas the other one ("diluted samples") consisted of samples whereby the density was varied by adding in-situ water to the natural sample having the highest density. Significant differences in rheological characteristics were found between the natural and diluted mud samples, that were attributed to the state/composition of the mud's fabric in each situation but also to the structural rearrangements caused by the preparation of diluted samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]