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The kinetics of conversion of sulfur compounds by Halothiobacillus neapolitanus DSM 15147 bacteria was studied in the presence of steel samples. It was shown that the presence of steel altered the known pathway of sulfur compound oxidation by thiobacteria. Production of atomic hydrogen via the interaction between biogenic sulfuric acid and steel enhanced secondary production of intermediates and decreased the content of sulfate produced previously. The process was accompanied by pH elevation and continuation of intense growth of the thiobacterium culture. Thiobacteria formed a corrosive medium, which caused metal destruction. The protective properties of anticorrosive coatings 225 LS and 640 mk were tested. It was shown that these coatings protected steel from the destructive effect of biogenic sulfuric acid.

The inhibiting action of a nonionic surfactant of Tween-20 on the corrosion of cold rolled steel (CRS) in 0.5-7.0 M sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4)) was studied by weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization methods. Atomic force microscope (AFM) provided the surface conditions. The results show that inhibition efficiency increases with the inhibitor concentration, while it decreases with the sulfuric acid concentration. The adsorption of inhibitor on the cold rolled steel surface obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm equation. Effect of immersion time was studied and discussed. The effect of temperature on the corrosion behavior of cold rolled steel was also studied at four temperatures ranging from 30 to 60 degrees C, the thermodynamic parameters such as adsorption heat, adsorption free energy, and adsorption entropy were calculated. The results revealed that the adsorption was physisorption mechanism. A kinetic study of cold rolled steel in uninhibited and inhibited acid was also discussed. The kinetic parameters such as apparent activation energy, pre-exponential factor, rate constant, and reaction constant were calculated for the reactions of corrosion. The inhibition effect is satisfactorily explained by both thermodynamic and kinetic models. Polarization curves show that Tween-20 is a cathodic-type inhibitor in sulfuric acid. The results obtained from weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization are in good agreement, and the Tween-20 inhibition action could also be evidenced by surface AFM images.

Using a phage library displaying random peptides of 12 amino acids on its surface, several peptides were found that bind to aluminum and mild steel. Like other metal-binding peptides, no obvious consensus motif has been found for these peptides. However, most of them are rich in hydroxyl-containing amino acids, serine or threonine, or contain histidine. For the aluminum-binding peptides, peptides with a higher number of hydroxyl-containing amino acids bind to the aluminum surface more tightly. For example, Val-Pro-Ser-Ser-Gly-Pro-Gln-Asp-Thr-Arg-Thr-Thr, which contains five hydroxyl-containing amino acid residues, was selected four-fold more frequently than a peptide containing only one serine, suggesting an important role for the hydroxyl-containing amino acids in the metal-peptide interaction.

Objectives: A comparative study on the stress distribution in the dentine and cement layer of an endodontically treated maxillary incisor has been carried out by using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The role of post and cement rigidity on reliability of endodontic restorations is discussed., Methods: A 3D FEM model (13,272 elements and 15,152 nodes) of a central maxillary incisor is presented. A chewing static force of 10 N was applied at 125 degree angle with the tooth longitudinal axis at the palatal surface of the crown. Steel, carbon and glass fiber posts have been considered. The differences in occlusal load transfer ability when steel, carbon and glass posts, fixed to root canal using luting cements of different elastic moduli (7.0 and 18.7 GPa) are discussed., Results and Significance: The more stiff systems (steel and carbon posts) have been evaluated to work against the natural function of the tooth. Maximum Von Mises equivalent stress values ranging from 7.5 (steel) to 5.4 and 3.6 MPa (respectively, for carbon posts fixed with high and low cement moduli) and to 2.2 MPa (either for glass posts fixed with high and low cement moduli) have been observed under a static masticatory load of 10 N. A very stiff post works against the natural function of the tooth creating zones of tension and shear both in the dentine and at the interfaces of the luting cement and the post. Stresses in static loading do not reach material (dentine and cement) failure limits, however, they significantly differ leading to different abilities of the restored systems to sustain fatigue loading. The influence of the cement layer elasticity in redistributing the stresses has been observed to be less relevant as the post flexibility is increased.

A study of the infrared reflectance of rough metallic surfaces is presented. We show that one reflectance measurement, made in the specular direction under specific conditions, allows the accurate calculation of the shape of the roughness histogram. As a theoretical background, we use modified expressions from Kirchhoff theory for surface scattering. To illustrate our method, we present experimental results obtained with surfaces having a multimode histogram, which means having several different populations with distinct peaks. For these surfaces, we observe oscillations in the regularly decreasing reflectance (with decreasing wavelength) that are created by a partial interference phenomenon between the peaks. To our knowledge, this effect is presented for the first time in the literature. Our study demonstrates that some very useful information can be obtained in the infrared spectrum of metallic substrates, although they do not have any absorption band. We hope that our results help further the understanding of complex spectral data obtained on such scattering substrates covered with organic films.

Acetic acid was used to enhance the efficiency of chemical vapor generation (CVG) of copper. The volatile product was formed at room temperature following merging of the sample solution with a flowing stream of 0.1% NaBH4; ICP-OES was used for detection. A precision of 1.6% RSD (n=11, 0.2 mg/L) was realized at sampling frequencies of about 90/h. A detection limit of 0.4 ng/mL (3sigma) was obtained. Sensitivity was enhanced approximately 8-fold over conventional pneumatic nebulization sample introduction. Compared with CVG in an optimized HCl or HNO3 medium, sensitivity was increased by an order of magnitude using acetic acid and the reductant concentration was reduced to only 10% of that required with HCl or HNO3. The generation efficiency was estimated to be 18% or 70%, depending on the method used to evaluate it. The methodology was successfully used to the determine copper in human hair and low alloy steel certified reference materials.

The development of a process intensified primary capture step for the direct selective recovery of intracellular proteins from very dense particulate-containing yeast extract has been explored. The purification of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase from bakers' yeast was chosen as a potential demonstration of this approach. A high throughput (50%, w/v, yeast extracts at a superficial linear velocity of 450 cm h(-1)) was achieved by adoption of a high-density adsorbent (UpFront steel-agarose; rho = 2.65 g ml(-1)) derivatized with selective ligand chemistries (Cibacron Blue 3GA). This should ultimately minimize adsorption time and maximize process efficiency of fluidized bed adsorption.

The UKAEA Winfrith site is in a phase of accelerated decommissioning and de-licensing which will generate significant volumes of metal wastes some of which may be suitable for disposal as exempt wastes. If contamination is present, it is often confined within the surface layers of the metal. The UKAEA Winfrith site operates a shot-blast facility (WACM) that removes paint and surface contamination from low carbon steel enabling surface contaminated painted metal to be processed and therefore certified as exempt. A study was conducted to determine whether tritium (as tritiated water vapour) has penetrated into the metal to levels exceeding the Radioactive Substances Act (1993), Substances of Low Activity (SoLA) Exemption Order criteria, and whether processing via the WACM removes sufficient tritium contamination that the SoLA Exemption Order criteria can be met. The results of sampling and analysis show that the tritium is mainly held in the paint or outer 40 microm layer of the metal and that processing through the WACM removes these layers along with sufficient tritium to meet the SoLA Exemption Order criteria.

In two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-based proteomic experiments matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) peptide mass fingerprinting is often the technique of choice in identifying proteins. Here, we present a novel surface coating technique for MALDI-MS targets that improves manual and automatic sample analysis. A mixture of silicone and graphite is spread in the form of a thin layer over the target. Due to the hydrophobicity of the coating, aqueous solutions can be applied to relatively small spots very precisely using a robotic system. At least four times more liquid can be concentrated on the same area compared to uncoated steel targets. alpha-cyano-4-hydrocinnamic acid crystallizes in form of very small crystals evenly distributed over the surface. The search for "hot spots" during the analysis is not necessary, which supports the automatic acquisition of data. The homogeneous crystal layer can be very effectively washed on-target without encountering major sample losses. This efficient washing and the focused application of aqueous samples replace expensive and time-consuming reversed phase micro column based sample clean-ups. When analyzing peptide mixtures, the signal intensities are up to five times higher than with preparations of the same un-desalted samples on steel targets, since four times more sample can be loaded. The mass resolution remains unaffected by the surface coating. After usage the coating can be removed, followed by a new coating avoiding any carry-over of sample to the next analysis. All these properties make the precoating of MALDI-MS targets with a silicone/graphite layer an ideal technique for routine analysis in large-scale proteomic experiments.

Friction corrosion may appear between different implant components or between implant and hard tissue. The sliding micro movements induce fretting wear corrosion and have been recently reported as a cause of joint prostheses failure. A surface coating is desirable, that retains the mechanical properties of the substrate, offers good biocompatibility and improves the fretting corrosion resistance. In this study it could be demonstrated that tantalum and niobium coatings fulfill the requirements. On titanium substrates the coating decreases the abrasion against PMMA, an orthopedic relevant material. Furthermore, in the case of medical steel substrates the biocompatibility and the corrosion properties are improved. The better abrasion-resistance is minimizing the release of allergological critical particles like nickel and chromium.

In this experiment, the effects of gas composition and pressure on the intensity and quality of the plasma induced by a high-energy neodymium glass laser were studied. The experimental results show that the spectral intensity of the plasma in the argon atmosphere is stronger than that in the air when the pressure is the same. For the steel alloy sample, the intensities of the emission spectrum reach the maximum values when the argon pressure is 0.8 x 10(5) Pa. The self-absorption phenomena of Al II 308.22 and Al II 309.27 nm lines strengthen with the increase of the pressure, and even serious self-reversal appears when the pressure is (0.8-0.9) x 10(5) Pa. The temperature of plasma also raises with the increase of the pressure. When the argon pressure is 0.93 x 10(5) Pa, t h e temperature is about 1500 K higher than that when the argon pressure is about 0.43 x 10(5) Pa.

Even in simple low-alloy steels the oxide scales that form during hot working processes are often a complex mixture of three iron oxide phases: haematite, magnetite and wustite. The mechanical properties, and hence descalability, are intimately linked with phase distribution and microstructure, which in turn are sensitive to both steel composition and oxidation conditions. In this study electron backscatter diffraction in the SEM has been used to characterize the microstructures of oxide scales formed on two compositions of low-alloy steel. The technique can unambiguously differentiate between the candidate phases to provide the phase distribution within the scale. This is used to investigate grain orientation relationships both within and between phase layers. It has been found that the strength of the orientational relationship between the magnetite and wustite layers is dependent on steel composition, and in particular Si content. In a low-Si (0.01 wt%) alloy only a very weak relationship was found to exist for a range of oxidation temperatures (800-1000 degrees C), whereas for the higher Si (0.37 wt%) alloy a strong relationship was observed under the same oxidation conditions. These orientational relationships are particularly important because, in this temperature range, the majority of oxide scale growth occurs at the magnetite/wustite interphase boundary.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used for the characterization of the main components of the surface residual dirt produced in cold-rolled steel plates as a consequence of the manufacturing stages. At laser fluences between 0.05 J/cm(2) < F < 0.30 J/cm(2), dirt ablation takes place without any contribution from the substrate. Results show that the main components of the dirt are fine particles of Fe mostly homogeneously distributed in a thin layer of grease and soaps. In the primary stages of the manufacturing process carbon residuals can also be found. By measuring light emission from the lambda = 495.9 nm line of Fe(I) after laser ablation, we developed a real-time on-line method for the determination of the concentration of iron particles present in the surface dirt. The obtained results open new possibilities in the design of real-time instruments for industrial applications as a quality control of products and processes.

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of proximal contacts in Class II restorations using two types of matrix bands (steel and polyester) with two different restoration techniques (incremental and with prepolymerized particles)., Method and Materials: Eighty-eight Class II adjacent restorations using Prodigy resin composite were performed: 44 with the incremental technique (22 with steel matrix bands, 22 with polyester matrix bands) and 44 utilizing prepolymerized resin particles (22 steel matrix, 22 polyester matrix). The restorations were clinically evaluated at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 months. Proximal contacts obtained immediately after restoration procedure in all restorations were satisfactory., Results: No statistically significant alterations were found in 18 months of evaluation., Conclusion: Regardless of the utilized resin composite, there were no differences in the amount of proximal contact variations with respect to tested techniques and matrices.

The delay between conversion of metastable ferrite to stable austenite during ternary Fe-Cr-Ni alloy double recalescence is seen to differ by over an order of magnitude for tests conducted using electrostatic and electromagnetic levitation. Several possible reasons for this deviation are proposed. Thermodynamic calculations on evaporation rates indicate that potential composition shifts during testing are minimized by limiting test time and thermal history. Simulation indicates that deviation would be limited to a factor of 1.5 under worst-case conditions. Possible effects due to differences in sample size are also eliminated since the metastable array, where stable phase nucleation must occur, is significantly smaller than the sample. Differences in internal convection are seen to be the most probable reason for the observed deviation.

Objectives: This study investigated whether coins of the new European currency (euro) corrode when they are exposed to gastric acid, and whether this change can be detected radiographically., Methods: The eight different denominations of coins were immersed for seven days in 0.15 N hydrochloride acid (HCl), which corresponds to the level of post-prandial gastric acid. A Swedish crown coin and three different Austrian schilling coins were used as controls. The coins were weighed and radiographed daily to evaluate visible corrosions and HCl was analysed daily for possible dissolved substances., Results: All coins lost weight within 24 hours after exposure to HCl. The 1, 2, and 5 euro cent coins developed changes that were visible on radiographs. The weights of all coins decreased by 0.43% to 11.30% during one week. The dissolved substances measured in the HCl corresponded to the different metals and alloys of the coins, except for copper, which does not dissolve in HCl. The highest absolute weight loss was observed in the Swedish crown coin (0.67 g), and the highest relative weight loss in the 1 Austrian schilling coin (11.30%). The two coins that showed the highest absolute and relative weight losses were the 2 euro (0.54 g or 6.35%) and the 1 euro (0.48 g or 6.39%) coin., Conclusions: A higher rate of toxicity for the new European coins compared with coins of other currencies is not expected, unless a massive coin ingestion occurs.

The intrinsic adhesion forces of lubricants and other pharmaceutical materials to a steel surface were quantitatively compared using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). A steel sphere was attached to the tip of an AFM cantilever, and its adhesion forces to the substrate surfaces of magnesium stearate, sodium stearyl fumarate, lactose, 4-acetamidophenol, and naproxen were measured. Surface roughness varied by an order of magnitude among the materials. However, the results clearly showed that the two lubricants had about half the intrinsic adhesion force as lactose, 4-acetamidophenol, and naproxen. Differences in the intrinsic adhesion forces of the two lubricants were insignificant. The lubricant molecules were unable to cover the steel surface during AFM measurements. Intrinsic adhesion force can slightly be modified by surface treatment and compaction, and its tip-to-tip variation was not greater than its difference between lubricants and other pharmaceutical particles. This study provides a quantitative fundamental basis for understanding adhesion related issues.

Corrosion of 1020 carbon steel coupons in natural seawater over a 1-year period was more aggressive under strictly anaerobic stagnant conditions than under aerobic stagnant conditions as measured by weight loss and instantaneous corrosion rate (polarization resistance). Under oxygenated conditions, a two-tiered oxide layer of lepidocrocite/goethite formed. The inner layer was extremely tenacious and resistant to acid cleaning. Under anaerobic conditions, the corrosion product was initially a non-tenacious sulphur-rich corrosion product, mackinawite, with enmeshed bacteria. As more sulphide was produced the mackinawite was transformed to pyrrhotite. In both aerobic and anaerobic exposures, corrosion was more aggressive on horizontally oriented coupons compared to vertically oriented samples.

It was shown in the laboratory investigations that the cells of sulphate-reducing bacteria of both aggressive Desulfovibrio sp. strain Kiev-10 and nonaggressive Desulfovibrio desulfuricans strain Kiev-45 strains can produce exopolysaccharides (EPS). Plankton (freely floating) cells of sulphate-reducing bacteria produce greater quantity of EPS than the cells of the biofilm formed on steel. The inducing effect of metal on EPS synthesis by sulphate-reducing bacteria has been established. The content of carbohydrates in EPS is higher in the biofilm of aggressive strain Desulfovibrio sp. Kiev-10 than in plankton bacteria as well as compared with the biofilm of less aggressive strain Desulfovibrio desulfuricans Kiev-45. Specific production of EPS of the aggressive strain in the biofilm formed on the steel is 3 orders higher than in the plankton cells. It has been established that the quantity of cells of sulphate-reducing bacteria adhered to steel decreases in the presence of the corrosion inhibitor N-decylpyridinium chloride (high-molecular compound of nitrogen-including PAR of the cationic type). It is shown that EPS synthesis is blocked in the biofilm formed by sulphate-reducing bacteria on steel under the effect of the corrosion inhibitor, while EPS production in plankton is stimulated.

Inhibition of the corrosion of carbon steel in hydrochloric acid solution by some mono- and bis-azo dyes based on 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene was studied in relation to the concentration of inhibitors using weight loss and potentiostatic polarization techniques. The percentage inhibition efficiency calculated from two methods is in a good agreement with each other. The inhibition mechanism of the additives was ascribed to the formation of complex compound adsorbed on the metal surface. The adsorption process follows Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The formation of the complex compound was studied by conductometric and potentiometric titrations. The stability constants of the Fe-complexes were determined using the latter technique and related to the inhibition efficiency.

Powder metallurgy is a highly developed method of manufacturing reliable ferrous parts. The main processing steps in a powder metallurgical line are pressing and sintering. Sintering can be strongly enhanced by the formation of a liquid phase during the sintering process when using phosphorus as sintering activator. In this work the distribution (effect) of phosphorus was investigated by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) supported by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). To verify the influence of the process conditions (phosphorus content, sintering atmosphere, time) on the mechanical properties, additional measurements of the microstructure (pore shape) and of impact energy were performed. Analysis of fracture surfaces was performed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The concentration of phosphorus differs in the samples from 0 to 1% (w/ w). Samples with higher phosphorus concentrations (1% (w/ w) and above) are also measurable by EPMA, whereas the distributions of P at technically relevant concentrations and the distribution of possible impurities are only detectable (visible) by means of SIMS. The influence of the sintering time on the phosphorus distribution will be demonstrated. In addition the grain boundary segregation of P was measured by AES at the surface of in-situ broken samples. It will be shown that the distribution of phosphorus depends also on the concentration of carbon in the samples.

With the help of an automated SEM/EDX analysis system non-metallic micro-inclusions in steel can be detected on a metallographically prepared surface area. The system makes it possible to determine position, size, shape and composition of each particle. Usually more than 1000 inclusions are found on one scan area. Therefore a new offline evaluation method has been developed to classify the large amount of inclusions and calculate specific size and shape data. A summary sheet is created to show the area contents and the mean values of all important properties for each class. Size and XY distributions as well as binary and ternary phase diagrams are drawn to depict the results. The strengths of this analytical technique are demonstrated by evaluation of an LC (low-carbon) steel. Alumina, common spinel, sulfide and oxisulfide inclusions could be identified as dominant inclusion types in LC steel.

Atom probe tomography is a technique for the nanoscale characterization of microstructural features. Analytical techniques have been developed to estimate the size, composition, and other parameters of features as small as 1 nm from the atom probe tomography data. These methods are outlined and illustrated with examples of yttrium-, titanium-, and oxygen-enriched particles in a mechanically alloyed, oxide-dispersion-strengthened steel.

An application of X-ray fluorescence analysis with a pyroelectric X-ray generator is presented. Steel standard samples were identified by X-ray fluorescence analysis with this novel X-ray generator to check its capability for performing qualitative and quantitative analysis as an X-ray source for X-ray fluorescence spectrometers. Cr, Ni, V, Co, and W were detected in steel standard samples. V and Cr can be detected even when the content is below 1%. Although it is difficult to detect minor elements because of the low power of the excitation X-rays, it is possible to identify the analyzed samples on the basis of major elements at the percentage level. The pyroelectric X-ray generator is very suitable for portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometers.

A method was developed and validated to quantitatively apply and "fix" uranyl contamination onto a metal surface (steel). Simple approaches are needed to create test surfaces in order to quantify contaminant removal or "decon" methods. We used steel discs sized to allow direct and accurate alpha counting in a Ludlum scanner from radioactive contaminants. A typical 3.8-cm-diameter coupon had a depleted uranyl loading of about 0.1 mg U cm with a count of 980 dpm. The resulting alpha radiation was measured with a precision of >97% for the same coupon. The alpha concentration on replicate coupons differed by as much as 9% (standard deviation). This method, based on earlier methods, required a uranyl solution to be dried but lowers the baking temperature to less than 100 degrees C to increase safety in a typical radiological laboratory. A dike was used to provide a uniform coating of the uranyl solution.

(5Z)-4-bromo-5-(bromomethylene)-3-butyl-2(5H)-furanone (furanone) from the red marine alga Delisea pulchra was found previously to inhibit the growth, swarming and biofilm formation of Gram-positive bacteria (Ren et al., 2002, Lett Appl Microbiol 34: 293-299). In the present study, the Gram-positive sulphate-reducing bacterium (SRB), Desulfotomaculum orientis, was used to study the inhibition of mild steel corrosion due to the addition of furanone. The weight loss from batch coupon experiments incubated with 40 microg x ml(-1) furanone was reduced fivefold compared with samples that lacked furanone. Analysis of the metal surface with environmental scanning electron microscopy further confirmed the protection afforded by the addition of furanone. In agreement with the corrosion inhibition, most probable number (MPN) analysis showed that 20 and 40 microg x ml(-1) furanone inhibited 58% and 96% of the D. orientis growth respectively. Hence, furanone has the potential to inhibit microbial-induced corrosion related to Gram-positive bacteria.

Biofilms were used to produce gramicidin S (a cyclic decapeptide) to inhibit corrosion-causing, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). In laboratory studies these biofilms protected mild steel 1010 continuously from corrosion in the aggressive, cooling service water of the AmerGen Three-Mile-Island (TMI) nuclear plant, which was augmented with reference SRB. The growth of both reference SRB (Gram-positive Desulfosporosinus orientis and Gram-negative Desulfovibrio vulgaris) was shown to be inhibited by supernatants of the gramicidin-S-producing bacteria as well as by purified gramicidin S. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and mass loss measurements showed that the protective biofilms decreased the corrosion rate of mild steel by 2- to 10-fold when challenged with the natural SRB of the TMI process water supplemented with D. orientis or D. vulgaris. The relative corrosion inhibition efficiency was 50-90% in continuous reactors, compared to a biofilm control which did not produce the antimicrobial gramicidin S. Scanning electron microscope and reactor images also revealed that SRB attack was thwarted by protective biofilms that secrete gramicidin S. A consortium of beneficial bacteria (GGPST consortium, producing gramicidin S and other antimicrobials) also protected the mild steel.

Energy dissipators, isolated-resistant and specific structural forms for earthquake resistance are popular topics in the research to improve shock-resistance. In this work, experimental methods were used to investigate the property of low yield strength steel. Carbon content in LYS material is lower than that in other steels; the ultimate stress is three times the yield stress. The ultimate elongation rate is about 62% and the ductility is 2-3 times that of A36 steel. In order to overcome some defects of ordinary use metallic dampers, the mechanical characteristic of low yield strength steel is used to develop added damping and stiffness for rhombic steel plate absorber. Test of the energy dissipation behavior for this newly developed device indicated that LYS could stably dissipate or absorb the input energy of earthquake. Then, the analytical model for the hysteretic behavior of this new device is proposed. Comparison of experimental data and numerical simulation results showed that this analytical model is suitable for simulating the hysteretic energy behavior of this new device.

High-temperature oxidation of steel has been extensively studied. The microstructure of iron oxides is, however, not well understood because of the difficulty in imaging it using conventional methods, such as optical or electron microscopy. A knowledge of the oxide microstructure and texture is critical in understanding how the oxide film behaves during high-temperature deformation of steels and more importantly how it can be removed following processing. Recently, electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) has proved to be a powerful technique for distinguishing the different phases in scales. This technique gives valuable information both on the microstructure and on the orientation relationships between the steel and the scale layers. In the current study EBSD has been used to investigate the microstructure and microtexture of iron oxide layers grown on interstitial free steel at different times and temperatures. Heat treatments have been carried out under normal oxidation conditions in order to relate the results to real steel manufacturing in industry. The composition, morphologies, microstructure and microtexture of selected conditions have been studied using EBSD.

Purpose: The aim of this in vitro study of titanium abutments was to investigate the extent of treatment traces, the roughness depth, and the quantity of titanium or, in the case of coated abutments, titanium nitride (TiN) removed from the surface after treatment with various instruments., Materials and Methods: Eleven uncoated, mechanically smoothed abutments and 11 TiN-coated abutments were used. The abutments were treated with titanium, steel, and plastic curettes; a rubber cup; an ultrasonic scaler with a steel tip; and an air scaler and cleaning powder. There were two 2 x 2-mm test fields on each abutment; each was subjected to standardized treatment with an instrument. The untreated surfaces of each abutment served as controls. The roughness depth (Rz) and profile height of treated and untreated surfaces were measured with a profilometer; profile height served as a basis for determining the amount of substance removed by treatment. The treatment traces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy., Results: Both the ultrasonic scaler and the steel and titanium curettes left pronounced traces on the uncoated abutments and increased Rz. Substantial substance removal was recorded following the use of the ultrasonic scaler (17.57 +/- 2.87 microm) and the steel curettes (8.48 +/- 2.81 microm) on the uncoated abutments. In tests of the coated abutments, measurable substance removal (4.80 +/- 0.99 microm) and increased roughness depth were noted only with use of the steel curettes. The treatment traces left by the other instruments were distinctly less pronounced than on the uncoated abutments. Light microscopy revealed detachment of the TiN coating after use of the ultrasonic scaler, titanium curettes, and steel curettes. Slight to moderate treatment traces were recorded after use of the rubber cup; no substance removal was observed. On the TiN-coated abutments, only slight treatment traces, if any, were recorded, and there was no substance removal. A planing effect (ie, an Rz decrease of 66.4%) was observed. The plastic curette and the air scaler caused no damage to the titanium or TiN surfaces., Discussion and Conclusion: The TiN-coated abutments displayed fewer treatment traces, less roughness depth, and less substance removal after being treated with various instruments. Two concerns, however, are the detachment of the coating after only few actions with steel and titanium curettes or with an ultrasonic scaler with steel tip, and the greater initial roughness depth of coated implants.

Purpose: This study evaluated the deformation of a metallic framework connected to 15 stone casts fabricated using 3 transfer techniques to determine the most accurate impression procedure., Materials and Methods: Five stone casts were made from polyether impressions of an epoxy resin master model for each transfer technique. Group 1 samples were created by the direct splinted technique (square transfer copings splinted with carbon steel pins and autopolymerizing acrylic resin, custom tray); group 2 samples were made by the direct nonsplinted technique (square transfer copings, custom tray); and group 3 samples were fabricated using the indirect technique (tapered transfer copings, custom tray). Sixteen strain gauges were fixed on the framework to measure the degree of framework deformation for each stone cast. Pairs of strain gauges placed opposite each other constituted 1 channel to read deformation (half Wheatstone bridge). Deformation readings were collected at the 4 segments between abutments in 4 directions (anterior, posterior, superior, and inferior). Deformation data were analyzed using analysis of variance and the Tukey test at the .05 and .01 levels of significance., Results: Group 1 samples allowed the most accurate reproduction of analog position compared to the samples made using the other techniques. No significant difference was found between the direct nonsplinted (group 2) and indirect (group 3) techniques., Discussion: Although some studies have evaluated transfer techniques with similar methodology, this study demonstrated the most suitable strain gauge setup to record framework deformations in all directions and simultaneously offset the effects of temperature variation., Conclusions: The direct splinted technique was the most accurate transfer method for multiple abutments compared to direct nonsplinted and indirect techniques.

Different allogropic forms of calcium carbonate scales (calcite and aragonite) were electrochemically deposited on carbon steel surfaces, using different electrochemical techniques: cyclic voltammetry or potentiostatic pulses. To simulate conditions of Mexican refinery cooling systems, this study was performed in the presence of known concentrations of other salts at pH 7.8 and 40 degrees C with low and high calcium carbonate concentrations. Reduction reactions for dissolved oxygen and water occurring in such systems modified the pH at the substrate-solution interface to promote scaling of the calcium carbonate present. A systematic scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis of the carbon steel surface showed that the formation of calcite and aragonite depended on the initial state of substrate surface (clean or damaged) and on the concentration of calcium carbonate present in the system.

There is an increased emphasis on adopting explicit management strategies to ensure the effective use of water wells. This can be achieved through identifying the operational and maintenance needs of water wells and associated infrastructure. The types of material used for this infrastructure will impact upon the life of these assets and their maintenance needs. In groundwater environments there is often little available corrosion rate data from historical records of operating wells upon which to make choices about material selection. Under these conditions it is necessary to rely on corrosion test data to inform design choices. A long term field based immersion test using corrosion coupons was undertaken at 24 sites across Australia. The general corrosion rates of mild steel after 9 months were found to range from 0.018 to 0.624 mm per year while stainless steel was found to have minimal corrosion under the same conditions. Galvanised steel was found to offer minimal protection compared with mild steel when the pH was below 7.

Stainless steel, polymethylmethacrylate and polytetrafluoroethylene coupons were analysed for surface topographical and adhesion force characteristics using tapping mode atomic force microscopy and force-distance microscopy techniques. The two polymer materials were surface modified by polishing with silicon carbide papers of known grade. The struvite scaling rate was determined for each coupon and related to the data gained from the surface analysis. The scaling rate correlated well with adhesion force measurements indicating that lower energy materials scale at a lower rate. The techniques outlined in the paper provide a method for the rapid screening of materials in potential scaling applications.

The role of the acidic amino acid residues in the adsorption of peptides/proteins onto stainless steel particles was investigated using a peptide fragment from bovine beta-lactoglobulin, Thr-Pro-Glu-Val-Asp-Asp-Glu-Ala-Leu-Glu-Lys (T5 peptide), which has a high affinity to a stainless steel surface at acidic pHs, and its mutant peptides substituted with different numbers of acidic amino acid residues. The adsorption behavior of the mutant peptides as well as the T5 peptide were studied at pH 3 with respect to concentration and ionic strength dependencies and the reversibility of the adsorption process. The behavior of the peptides was generally characterized as two distinct irreversible adsorption modes, Mode I and Mode II. In Mode I, the amounts adsorbed lay on the ordinate at zero equilibrium concentration in the solution, while in Mode II, the amount adsorbed increased with increased equilibrium concentration. The area occupied by the peptides was predicted by molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics. The state of the peptides, when adsorbed, was investigated using FT-IR analysis. The FT-IR analyses revealed that the side carboxylic groups of the peptides adsorbed on the stainless steel surface were ionized, while they were unionized in the solution at pH 3. Thus, the interactions between the carboxylic groups of the peptide and the stainless steel surface can be considered to be largely electrostatic. The peptide having four acidic amino acid residues took a maximum adsorbed amount, the reason for which is discussed.

Deposition of in situ precipitated calcium carbonate from Na(2)CO(3) and CaCl2 solutions on different substrates, i.e. stainless steel, copper, aluminium, and glass, was investigated at different temperatures, 20 degrees C, 40 degrees C, 60 degrees C and 80 degrees C, both in the absence and presence of S-S 0.1T magnetic field (MF). It was found that in quiescent conditions during 2h the amounts deposited firmly on the surfaces decreased with increasing temperature. If MF was present the deposition was reduced at all temperatures, and depended on the nature of the substrate. The largest MF effect was found on glass at 60 degrees C, which amounted 50% reduction of the deposit. However, at 80 degrees C no deposition was found in the presence of MF on aluminium surface. At this temperature the reproducibility of the experiments was poor, and an additional effect due to the metal surface corrosion (especially that of aluminium and copper) may be thought in alkaline environment of the experiments (pH ca. 10). Based on optical microscope photographs, it was concluded that the amounts of crystallographic forms of CaCO3 depended on the nature of substrate on which the precipitation and then the adhesion took place. To some extent the ratios of CaCO3 forms precipitated were different in the bulk phase than on the substrate surfaces at the same temperature, and this conclusion was based on the X-ray diffractograms. Some possible mechanisms causing MF effects are discussed.

The oriented rose of normal directions of a random set Z can be used to quantify its anisotropy. A method for estimating this quantity from a digitization of Z in a sampling window, i.e. its pixel image, is presented. The image is analysed locally by considering pixel squares of size n x n. This allows us to count the number of different types of n x n configurations in the pixel image. We show that it suffices to restrict attention to the so-called informative configurations. The number of informative configurations increases only polynomially in n. An algorithm to find these informative configurations is presented. Furthermore, estimators of the oriented rose based on counts of observed informative configurations are derived. The procedure is illustrated by a simulated example and an analysis of a microscopic image of steel.

Slag arising in ferrochromium and stainless steel production is known to contain residual levels of trivalent chromium. As the chromium is normally bound in the slag matrix in various silicate or spinel phases, and hence not easily mobilised, utilisation or controlled disposal of such slag is generally considered unproblematic. Experimental test work with a number of slag materials indicates, however, that very gradual oxidation of trivalent to hexavalent chromium does occur when the slag is exposed to atmospheric oxygen, rendering a quantifiable but small portion of chromium in this much more mobile and toxic form. Mechanisms and rates of the oxidation reaction were investigated in a number of long-term studies using both original slag materials and artificial mixes of chromium and calcium oxides. Powders of these materials, some of them rolled into balls, were left to age under different conditions for periods of up to 12 months. In the slag samples, which contained between 1 and 3 wt.% chromium, 1000-10000 microg Cr(VI) were found per gram of chromium within 6-9 months of exposure to an ambient atmosphere. The rate of the oxidation reaction decreased exponentially, and the reaction could generally be said to have ceased within 12 months. In mixtures of calcium and chromium oxides the oxidation reaction is presumed to occur at the boundaries between chromium oxide and calcium oxide phases through diffusion of oxygen along the grain boundaries and of Cr(3+) across the boundaries, resulting in the formation of calcium chromate. In the slags, where calcium and chromium oxide can form a solid solution, the oxidation is likely to occur at the exposed surface of grains containing this solution.

Involvement of biofilm or microorganisms in corrosion processes is widely acknowledged. Although majority of the studies on microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) have concentrated on aerobic/anaerobic bacteria. There are numerous aerobic bacteria, which could hinder the corrosion process. The microbiologically produced exopolymers provide the structural frame work for the biofilm. These polymers combine with dissolved metal ions and form organometallic complexes. Generally heterotrophic bacteria contribute to three major processes: (i) synthesis of polymers (ii) accumulation of reserve materials like poly-beta-hydroxy butrate (iii) production of high molecular weight extracellular polysaccharides. Poly-beta-hydroxy butyrate is a polymer of D(-)beta-hydroxy butrate and has a molecular weight between 60,000 and 2,50,000. Some extracellular polymers also have higher molecular weights. It seems that higher molecular weight polymer acts as biocoating. In the present review, role of biochemistry on corrosion inhibition and possibilities of corrosion inhibition by various microbes are discussed. The role of bacteria on current demand during cathodic protection is also debated. In addition, some of the significant contributions made by CECRI in this promising area are highlighted.

Raman and SERS spectra of phenylacetic acid and alpha-phenylglycine on silver sols have been recorded at several concentrations and pH values. The alpha-phenylglycine has been also studied in D(2)O. The respective vibrational assignments have been proposed and the analysis of the SERS spectra has made it possible to conclude that phenylacetic acid links to the metal through its carboxylate group only, while alpha-phenylglycine links also through its amino group. In both cases the aromatic ring seems to be almost perpendicular to the metal surface. On the other hand, the contribution of the charge transfer (CT) mechanism to the enhancement of the SERS spectra has been calculated as well and it is found to be very important in both molecules. The band most enhanced by this mechanism is that of vibration 8a, mainly in alpha-phenylglycine.

Mechanical properties and low cycle fatigue are two factors that must be considered in developing new type steel for shock absorption. Process capability and process control are significant factors in achieving the purpose of research and development programs. Often-used evaluation methods failed to measure process yield and process centering; so this paper uses Taguchi loss function as basis to establish an evaluation method and the steps for assessing the quality of mechanical properties and process control of an iron and steel manufacturer. The establishment of this method can serve the research and development and manufacturing industry and lay a foundation in enhancing its process control ability to select better manufacturing processes that are more reliable than decision making by using the other commonly used methods.

The space and time evolution of a laser-induced plasma from a steel target has been studied using optical time-of-flight and shadowgraphic techniques. The results, obtained for two distinct laser energy regimes, allow us to individuate two different regions in the plume, one characterized by air and continuum emissions produced by the shock wave ionization and the other characterized by emissions from ablated material. Moreover, it was shown that a sufficiently high laser fluence and short delay time of acquisition are needed to avoid inhomogeneous effects in the plasma, as required in analytical applications such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Mild steel (MS), stainless steel (SS) and copper (Cu) test panels were immersed in the surface water of Dona Paula Bay over a period of 15 d. During the immersion period data on the hydrography, nutrients and suspended matter were also collected. The suspended matter and fouling products on the MS, SS and Cu panels were analysed for organic carbon (OC), organic nitrogen (ON), chlorophyll a (chl a), protein and carbohydrate concentration and composition, and the dry weight (DW) was recorded. Compared to suspended matter, the chemical and biochemical components of the fouling products showed strong temporal and substratum related differences. The microfouling biomass (as DW, OC, ON, chl a and protein) on all the test panels generally increased over the period of immersion. Carbohydrates were more abundant in the suspended matter whereas fouling products were enriched in proteins. The contribution of protein-carbon to the total carbon increased over the period of immersion for the microfouling products on MS and SS whilst it did not show a consistent trend on Cu. Whereas, the carbohydrate-carbon contribution to the total carbon increased for the fouling products on MS, it did not exhibit a particular pattern on SS or Cu over the period of immersion. Capillary gas chromatographic analysis showed the presence of glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, xylose fucose and ribose in both the fouling products and suspended matter. However, there were differences in the relative distribution of these monosaccharides in the suspended matter and the fouling products. Glucose was the most abundant monosaccharide, which showed strong temporal variations in suspended matter. In contrast, the wt % concentrations of individual monosaccharides showed large temporal differences for the fouling products, which were strongly influenced by the period of immersion and the type of test substratum. Glucose and fucose were relatively more abundant in the fouling products on SS and Cu, whilst glucose was the most abundant monosaccharide on MS. The monosaccharide and chemical composition data suggest strong temporal changes in the composition of the fouling products.

In laboratory experiments with batch cultures of thermophilic microorganisms isolated from urban heat supply systems, the growth of sulfate-reducing, iron-oxidizing, and iron-reducing bacteria was found to accelerate the corrosion rate of the steel-3 plates used in the pipelines. In the absence of bacteria and dissolved oxygen, minimal, corrosion was determined. The aforementioned microorganisms, as well as sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, were found to be widespread in water and corrosion deposits in low-alloy steel pipelines (both delivery and return) of the Moscow heat networks, as well as in the corrosion deposits on the steel-3 plates in a testing unit supplied with the network water. The microorganisms were found in samples with water pH ranging from 8.1 to 9.6 and a temperature lower than 90 degrees C. Magnetite, lepidocrocite, goethite, X-ray amorphous ferric oxide were the corrosion products identified on the steel-3 plates, as well as siderite, aragonite, and S0. The effect of microbiological processes on the rate of electrochemical corrosion was evaluated from the accumulation of corrosion deposits and from variation in total and local corrosion of the steel plates in a testing unit.

The two most widely used neural models, multilayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function network (RBFN), are presented in the framework of system identification and control. The main steps for building such nonlinear black box models are regressor choice, selection of internal architecture, and parameter estimation. The advantages of neural network models are summarized: universal approximation capabilities, flexibility, and parsimony. Two applications are described in steel industry and water treatment, respectively, the control of alloying process in a hot dipped galvanizing line and the control of a coagulation process in a drinking water treatment plant. These examples highlight the interest of neural techniques, when complex nonlinear phenomena are involved, but the empirical knowledge of control operators can be learned.

Residual 60Co activity in five steel samples induced by neutrons from the Nagasaki atomic bomb has been measured within about 1000 m from the hypocenter. The chemical separation of cobalt and nickel from steel samples was performed, and cobalt-enriched samples were prepared for all samples. Gamma-ray measurements were carried out with a low-background well-type germanium detector. The gamma-ray spectra for five samples were compared with the spectrum of a control sample to ensure that the observed 60Co was actually induced by A-bomb neutrons. The activation of cobalt by environmental neutrons was also investigated. It has been shown that the present 60Co data are consistent with earlier Hashizume's data.

Steel 08KP corrosion was studied as affected by inhibitors in presence of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Organic compounds, containing functional groups with nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur atoms, were investigated as corrosion inhibitors. It is shown that the studied inhibitors may be divided into three groups as to the mechanism of protective action. It has been established that cation-active nitrogen-containing surfactants ([symbol: see text] X, [symbol: see text]-1, [symbol: see text]-1M, catapin M, [symbol: see text]-2M) are the most efficient steel corrosion inhibitors. Such inhibitors, when adsorbed on metal surface, can affect the process of hydrogen precipitation on its surface, and thus inhibit catalytic function of SRB as the depolarizer of cathode process.

Experimental corroboration of correctness of theoretical thermodynamic calculations of e.m.f. of corrosion reactions induced by soil microorganisms is obtained in the work. A hypothesis is put forward on possible mechanism for stimulation of microbe-induced corrosion by chloride ions. The results obtained permit revealing the reasons of low efficiency conditions of cathode protection in cases of active involvement of soil microorganisms into corrosion processes which are used for maintenance of underground constructions.

This work concerns the use of parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy (PEELS) to investigate the detection, distribution, and quantification of carbon in various steel microstructures generated by rapid cooling rates or by isothermal transformation. The feasibility of detecting C in steels containing very small amounts of carbon was first examined by calculating the minimum detectable mass fraction for a variety of binary Fe-C alloy specimen thicknesses and microscope conditions. These theoretical studies indicated that the detection of carbon in steel microconstituents containing about 0.01 wt.% (or even less) was easily possible with an analytical transmission electron microscope equipped with a LaB6 emitter and a PEEL spectrometer. These theoretical calculations seemed to be reasonable, as it proved possible to make a quantitative PEELS study of the partitioning between the microconstituents ferrite, retained austenite, and martensite found in an ultralow carbon (0.03 wt.%) steel weld metal provided care was taken to avoid hydrocarbon contamination. Studies of both carbon and molybdenum segregation to ferrite/martensite interfaces in an isothermally transformed Fe-C-Mo alloy were also carried out in order to investigate the nature of the "solute drag" effect in this alloy system.

Decontamination of metal surfaces contaminated with low levels of radionuclides is a major concern at Department of Energy facilities. The development of an environmentally friendly and cost-effective decontamination process requires an understanding of their association with the corroding surfaces. We investigated the association of uranium with the amorphous and crystalline forms of iron oxides commonly formed on corroding steel surfaces. Uranium was incorporated with the oxide by addition during the formation of ferrihydrite, goethite, green rust II, lepidocrocite, maghemite, and magnetite. X-ray diffraction confirmed the mineralogical form of the oxide. EXAFS analysis at the U L(III) edge showed that uranium was present in hexavalent form as a uranyl oxyhydroxide species with goethite, maghemite, and magnetite and as a bidentate inner-sphere complex with ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite. Iron was present in the ferric form with ferrihydrite, goethite, lepidocrocite, and maghemite; whereas with magnetite and green rust II, both ferrous and ferric forms were present with characteristic ferrous:total iron ratios of 0.65 and 0.73, respectively. In the presence of the uranyl ion, green rust II was converted to magnetite with concomitantreduction of uranium to its tetravalent form. The rate and extent of uranium dissolution in dilute HCl depended on its association with the oxide: uranium present as oxyhydroxide species underwent rapid dissolution followed by a slow dissolution of iron; whereas uranium present as an inner-sphere complex with iron resulted in concomitant dissolution of the uranium and iron.