Search

Hypothesis: The curing process for phenolic resin composites is always carried out under press or autoclave pressure, as water by-products are released during curing process. As a result, when phenolic composite parts are formed using the vacuum bag-only method, the costs of the mold and challenges of the pressure vessels would be eliminated, and a significant step is taken in easier manufacture of these parts.Methods: For the purpose of comparing the two methods, phenolic laminates were prepared using 3 bar pressure autoclave and vacuum bag-only methods. In order to investigate the effects of thickness on different properties, the samples were subjected to bending tests, short beam strength tests, void percentage tests, and fractured surface morphology tests.Findings: As the sample’s thickness increases, the flexural modulus increases while the flexural strength and short beam strength decrease. Furthermore, the modulus, bending strength, and strength of the short beam in the autoclave sample have increased by 27%, 17%, and 17%, respectively, compared to the vacuum bag-only sample. Morphological studies also showed that more void content was formed in the vacuum bag samples and the resin-fiber interaction was reduced compared to the autoclaved samples. A decrease in the bonding between resin and fibers and in the penetration of resin between fiber strands has also been observed with increasing thickness. Samples with a thickness of 1 mm had a void content of 3.5 ± 1% and in samples with a thickness of 9 mm, it was 15% ± 1%.

The unique sensory quality and health effect of Liupao tea are closely related to the participation of microorganisms in the pile-fermentation process. In order to explore the diversity and distribution of fungi in Liupao tea samples during the pile-fermentation and autoclaved process, traditional isolation and culture method and molecular biological identification technology were used to isolate and identify fungi from 14 samples including the Liupao raw tea, the samples of pile-fermentation process and those of autoclaved process in this study. The results were as follows: 13 genera and 39 species fungi were isolated and identified from the samples. Among them, 23 fungi were reported firstly in Liupao tea, including 3 species of golden flower fungi and 6 species of yeasts. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the dominant fungi genera in Liupao raw tea and the samples of pile-fermentation process. Only Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus sydowii, Penicillium laeve and Penicillium gerundense could be isolated from the samples after autoclaved, and other Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi were almost undetectable. Talaromyces was the dominant genus in the samples of autoclaved process. In terms of species, Aspergillus niger and Arxula adeninivorans were the dominant fungal in all tea samples. The results would enrich the cognition of fungal diversity during the processing of Liupao tea, and provide the material basis and theoretical basis for further exploring the effects of different tea source fungi on the quality of Liupao tea.

This study investigated the effect of autoclaving and microwave radiation on the chemical composition, metabolic energy, and nutrient digestibility of wheat screening waste. Autoclave treatment involved heating the waste at 120 °C for 45 minutes, while microwave treatment utilized 1000 watts for 5 minutes. The experimental treatments included untreated waste, autoclaved waste, microwaved waste, and autoclaved followed by microwaved waste. Both heat treatments resulted in a decrease in gross energy, with the micro-wave treatment exhibiting the most significant effect. Additionally, the microwave treatment and the sequential autoclave followed by microwave treatment led to a slight reduction in dry matter content. Auto-claving improved the metabolisable energy of the waste by 23.4%, while the combined autoclave and microwave treatment improved it by 9.7%. However, microwave processing alone reduced the metabolisable energy by 25.4%. The heat treatments also resulted in notable changes in the waste's chemical composition, including decreased crude protein, gross energy, and sugar content, as well as increased dry matter, crude fiber, acid-insoluble ash, calcium, and phosphorus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the physics behind the calculation of autoclave cycles and their use in Excel and simulation tools. The idea behind this is, that each component of an autoclave regime like the autoclave, the curing equipment, the dry mass, and the water content of the AAC is considered separately and the autoclave cycle is split up into small time intervals of one minute for example. This allows to calculate the timely development of temperature, pressure, steam, and condensate quantities. It is also possible to calculate the timely development of these parameters for a stack of several autoclaves, including steam accumulators and heat recovery systems. But for this purpose, special simulation tools are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the optimization of microwave-assisted (MW) and steam-assisted autoclave (AC) pretreatments of fig (Ficus carica) to produce fermentable sugar. The central composite design response surface method was used for the optimization of process parameters. The independent variables for MW were particle diameter of dried fig (Dp = 200–375 µm), pH (3.00–5.00), and power (P = 250–670 W); the variables for AC were particle diameter (Dp = 200–375 µm), pH (3.00–5.00), temperature (T = 95–120 °C), and time (t = 30–50 min). The dependent variable was total sugar concentration (TSC) upon hydrolysis. Statistical analysis of the observed TSC indicated that all MW pretreatment parameters were significant. However, the temperature was the only significant parameter affecting fig hydrolysis in AC. Regression coefficients between observed and predicted values were in good agreement for AC (R2 = 0.90) and MW (R2 = 0.88) indicating model strength to the experimental data. The sum of ranking method (SRM) was done to test the similarity of observed and predicted TSC within the studied ranges of the independent variables. The optimum conditions for maximum sugar concentration by MW were determined as Dp = 370.72 µm, pH 4.96, and P = 253.67 W with TSC = 82.9 g/L. AC conditions were Dp = 263.19 µm, pH = 3.02, T = 120 °C, and t = 30.00 min with maximum sugar concentration of 70.0 g/L. A validation experiment was also conducted on MW and AC models and a good agreement between model prediction and observed responses was observed. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of MW and AC as potential pretreatment options for fig hydrolysis to yield the high sugar concentration that can be used as a substrate for biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tummalapalle Mill represents an alkali-leaching-based uranium processing plant. Alkali leaching occurs inside pressurized autoclaves at controlled temperature and pressure. Although the rated capacity of the Tummalapalle Mill is 3000TPD, only some obstructions were present to achieve the rated capacity. The technical study was done by the process and mechanical engineering team of Tummalapalle Mill for necessary improvements to achieve the rated power, which helped in the overall grinding rate of the processing plant. In the alkali leaching section of the Tummalapalle unit, Autoclaves (pressure vessels) are used for alkali leaching purposes. To run the plant at full rated throughput, i.e., 3000TPD, it is required to push the slurry into autoclaves by double hosediaphragm pump through spiral heat exchangers with a sufficient flow rate. During the regular course of operation, each double hose-diaphragm pump was able to discharge a limited flow rate with the existing motor-designed parameters. This paper deals with the technical details of double hose-diaphragm pumps, recent technical modifications incorporated and consequent trials taken to increase the pump flow rate and thereby achieve the required throughput into autoclaves [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specifi cs of the nuclear tests carried out on the territory of the former Semipalatinsk test site (STS) led to the emergence of various sites that diff er in levels of radioactive contamination and radionuclide composition. This also led to a signifi cant diff erence in the solubility of radioactive particles. Traditionally, the “Experimental Field” testing ground was characterized by the presence of sparingly soluble, vitrifi ed particles, which was determined by the features inherent in ground tests of nuclear weapons, namely, the interaction of the high-temperature explosion region with soil particles. The presence of such sparingly soluble particles in the soil cover makes it impossible to use 6–8 М HCl and 7–8 М HNO3 solutions which are most often used radiochemical analysis to determine the content of 90Sr and 239+240Pu. This paper considers methods for the acid extraction of anthropogenic radionuclides from soils of the STS using autoclaving. The aim of the research is to develop a method for the acid extraction of anthropogenic radionuclides from enlarged soil samples using autoclave decomposition. A blank soil sample was used to determine the optimal autoclave decomposition parameters; to test the acid extraction method, a soil sample was taken from the territory of the “experimental fi eld” testing ground. The radionuclide 137Cs has been used as the most optimal indicator of acid extraction due to its strong fi xation on clay and mineral soil particles and ease of detection by the gamma radiation. Autoclave decomposition has been carried out by dissolving the studied samples in a mixture of mineral acids (HCl, HNO3, HF, H2SO4). The specifi c activity of radionuclide has been determined on a BE3830 gamma spectrometer with a high-purity germanium detector (Canberra, USA), the amount of undecomposed soil residue has been determined gravimetrically (PA214C analytical balance, Ohaus, USA). The data obtained indicate that the most complete extraction of 137Cs occurs when using concentrated HF solutions (individually or in a mixture with other mineral acids). The degree of extraction of 137Cs varied from 85 to 100%. The worst results have been shown by the use of a mixture of acids 3HCl:HNO3. In this case the degree of extraction of 137Cs did not exceed 20%. The effi ciency of decomposition of soil samples weighing 10 g with a concentrated solution of HF at a temperature of 120 to 160 ºC was ≥95%.

Zeolite has been successfully synthesized from clay and rice husk ash in the form of powder by using the hydrothermal method with variations in chemical compositions of alkaline solution and the amount of rice husk ash. The clay raw material was obtained from the Sidrap area of South Sulawesi and rice husk ash is obtained from the burning pile of rice husks. Sidrap clay and rice husk ash were activated using an alkaline solution of NaOH and varied rice husk ash and the addition of AlCl3. The addition of AlCl3, an alkaline solution of NaOH and H2O was used in the amount of 25.5 grams and variations of rice husk ash were 2.5 grams and 6.5 grams. Meanwhile, without the addition of AlCl3, an alkaline solution of NaOH and H2O was used for 20.5 grams and variations of rice husk ash from 2.5 grams and 6.5 grams. Then the mixture was then put into an autoclave with a temperature of 100°C for 3 hours. The basic material used in the manufacture of zeolite is carried out by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) characterization to determine the constituent elements of basic material, which showed the content of SiO2 was 45.80 wt% in the clay and 93.40% in the rice husk ash. The crystalline structure of the zeolite formed was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). It was found the resulting zeolite were identified as Zeolite-Y, Hydrosodalite, and ZSM-5. The microstructure properties of the resulting zeolite were determined by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

DNA extraction is a crucial step in all nucleic acid-based protocols to identify microorganisms. Lactic acid bacteria are a significant part of healthy microbiota in the human gastrointestinal tract. These gram-positive bacteria have several layers of peptidoglycan in the cell walls. These structures cause difficulties in the cell lysis and obtaining reliable protocols for DNA isolations. The purpose of this study was to assess the autoclave and lysozyme-based DNA purification approaches for achieving the high-quality genomic DNAs of Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria. DNA concentrations and qualities were also compared with the commercial kit. The results showed that the proper DNA isolation methods were various, according to the downstream applications. Protocols that included lysozyme produced a higher amount of DNA than the autoclave method. Lysozyme treatment combined with silica-guanidinethiocyanate procedure was the efficient protocol with affordable cost for routine lysis of L. acidophilus bacteria. Appropriate DNA concentration and quality were obtained through this method comparable to those of the commercial kit. Inversely, autoclave treatment had little effect on the breakage of the cell walls indicating low concentrations of extracted DNAs. This method could not completely break down all the bacterial cell walls. However, the breakage of low numbers of cell walls was microscopically observed in the supernatant of the autoclaved cell suspension. The quality of this protocol was found to be adequate for performing direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay on samples with large amounts of lactobacilli. These conclusions suggest attentively selecting the DNA extraction method based on the planned downstream analysis of PCR products.

There is currently increased interest in the use of alternatives to autoclaved culture media, in order to maintain the properties of the media, while saving energy and time. In this study, we assess a new system for culture media preparation, using a conventional microwave with a water bath and a glass bottle with a rubber cap that allows depressurization. Sterilization, using the proposed system (1000 W, 3 to 20 min), was compared with autoclaving for the preparation of tryptone soy agar (TSA), tryptone soy broth (TSB), Sabouraud 4% dextrose agar (SDA), and violet red bile glucose agar (VRBG). Microwave exposure for 7 min yielded sterile TSA plates. The productivity of both sterilization methods was assessed using the pour plate method, and significant increases in the growth of certain micro-organisms after using a microwave were observed for every culture medium, especially those that were sterilized by boiling (VRBG). The kinetics of microbial destruction showed that Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis spores were destroyed after 3 and 7 min in a microwave, respectively, while three decimal reductions were obtained for Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores after 15 min in an autoclave. This new sterilization method could be a feasible, rapid, and economical method to prepare microbiological media, with a quality similar to that obtained through autoclaving.

Synucleinopathies are characterized by the deposition of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates in brain tissue. Pathological α-syn aggregates propagate in a prion-like manner and display prion-like biochemical properties. Using RT-QuIC, we measured α-syn seeding activity from brains of Dementia with Lewy body (DLB) patients post autoclave. Here, we show that autoclaving at 121 °C removes one to two log10 of α-syn seeding activity but the remaining 50% seeding dose (SD50) is more than 107/mg tissue. DLB brain samples autoclaved at 132 °C still revealed an SD50 of approximately 106/mg tissue. Our data suggest that DLB α-syn seeds are incompletely inactivated by standard autoclave, thus highlighting the need for evaluating laboratory procedures that fully inactivate them.

The aim of the present in vitro study was to investigate the effect of using an autoclave with three different programs and the traditional water bath method (short cycle) on the changes in the vertical occlusal dimension of the complete acrylic dentures. Forty complete acrylic dentures were divided into four groups: G1, dentures were polymerized by water bath method (short cycle for 90 min at 74 °C and then 30 min at 100 °C); G2, dentures were polymerized with an autoclave (134 °C/2.1 bar/10 min); G3, dentures were polymerized with an autoclave (121 °C/1.1 bar/20 min); and G4, dentures were polymerized with an autoclave (121 °C/1.1 bar/5 min). The vertical occlusal dimension of the dentures was measured before and after the polymerization process. The difference between the initial and final measurements expressed the change in the vertical occlusal dimension. Data were statistically analyzed by t-test and one-way ANOVA test. Statistically significant lower vertical dimension changes were detected in G1 (0.703 ± 0.078 mm) compared to the other groups (p < 0.05), whilst statistically greater changes were detected in G4 (1.263 ± 0.063 mm) compared to the other groups. No statistically significant differences were found between G2 (0.844 ± 0.061 mm) and G3 (0.88 ± 0.059 mm) (p > 0.05). Within the limitations of the present in vitro study, it can be concluded that all polymerization methods increase the vertical occlusal dimension of complete acrylic dentures. The increase in the vertical occlusal dimension in Groups 1, 2 and 3 was less than 1 mm which is clinically acceptable and can be overcome by selective abrasion. Therefore, the traditional curing technique using a water bath and the autoclave methods using two settings (134 °C/2.1 bar/10 min or 121 °C/1.1 bar/20 min) could be used for the complete acrylic denture with acceptable augmentation in the vertical occlusal dimension. In contrast, the method used in G4 increases the vertical occlusal dimension by more than 1 mm, which is not clinically acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on investigating the fatigue and wear behaviour of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) gears, which have shown promising potential as lightweight and high-performance alternatives to conventional gears. The gears were fabricated via an autoclave process using an 8-layer composite made of T300 plain weave carbon fabric and ET445 resin and were tested in pair with a 42CrMo4 steel pinion and under nominal tooth bending stress ranging from 60 to 150 MPa. In-situ temperature monitoring was performed, using an infrared camera, and wear rates were regularly assessed. The result of the wear test indicates adhesive wear and three-body abrasion wear mechanisms between the CFRP gears and the steel counterpart. A finite element analysis was performed to examine the in-mesh contact and root stress behaviour of both new and worn gears at various loads and a specified running time. The results point to a substantial divergence from ideal meshing and stress conditions as the wear level is increased. The fatigue results indicated that the CFRP gears exhibited superior performance compared to conventional plastic and composite short-fibrous polymer gears. The described composite gear material was additionally compared with two other composite configurations, including an autoclave-cured T700S plain weave prepreg with DT120 toughened resin and a vacuum-impregnated T300 spread plain weave carbon fabric with LG 900 UV resin. The study found that the use of the T700S-DT120 resulted in additional improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moist wound healing is known to heal wounds faster than dry wound healing. Hydrogel wound dressings are suitable for moist wound healing because of their hyperhydrous structure. Chitosan, a natural polymer, promotes wound healing by stimulating inflammatory cells and releasing bioactive compounds. Therefore, chitosan hydrogel has great potential as a wound dressing. In our previous study, physically crosslinked chitosan hydrogels were successfully prepared solely by freeze-thawing of chitosan-gluconic acid conjugate (CG) aqueous solution without using any toxic additives. Furthermore, the CG hydrogels could be sterilized by autoclaving (steam sterilization). In this study, we showed that autoclaving (121 °C, 20 min) of a CG aqueous solution simultaneously achieved gelation of the solution and sterilization of the hydrogel. Hydrogelation of CG aqueous solution by autoclaving is also physically crosslinking without any toxic additives. Further, we showed that the CG hydrogels retained favorable biological properties of the CG hydrogels prepared by freeze-thawing and subsequent autoclaving. These results indicated that CG hydrogels prepared by autoclaving were promising as wound dressings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fundamentally, the mechanical characteristics of 3D-printed polymeric objects are determined by their fabrication circumstances. In contrast to traditional polymer processing processes, additive manufacturing requires no pressure during layer consolidation. This study looks at how a high-pressure autoclave chamber without oxygen affects layer consolidation throughout the fused deposition modelling process, as well as the mechanical qualities of the products. To attain high strength qualities for 3D-printed components such as injection-molded specimens, an experimental setup consisting of a 3D printer incorporated within a bespoke autoclave was designed. The autoclave can withstand pressures of up to 135 bar and temperatures of up to 185 °C. PLA 3D printing was carried out in the autoclave at two different pressures in compressed air and nitrogen atmospheres: 0 bar and 5 bar. Furthermore, injection molding was done using the same PLA material. Tensile, flexural, and Charpy tests were carried out on samples that were 3D printed and injection molded. In nitrogen, oxidation of the environment was prevented by autoclave preheating before printing, and autoclave pressure during printing considerably promotes layer consolidation. This imprinted mechanical strength on the 3D-printed items, which are virtually as strong as injection-molded components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND:Fused deposition modeling 3D printing is used in medicine for diverse purposes such as creating patient-specific anatomical models and surgical instruments. For use in the sterile surgical field, it is necessary to understand the mechanical behavior of these prints across 3D printing materials and after autoclaving. It has been previously understood that steam sterilization weakens polylactic acid, however, annealing heat treatment of polylactic acid increases its crystallinity and mechanical strength. We aim to identify an optimal and commercially available 3D printing process that minimizes distortion after annealing and autoclaving and to quantify mechanical strength after these interventions. METHODS:Thirty millimeters cubes with four different infill geometries were 3D printed and subjected to hot water-bath annealing then immediate autoclaving. Seven commercially available 3D printing materials were tested to understand their mechanical behavior after intervention. The dimensions in the X, Y, and Z axes were measured before and after annealing, and again after subsequent autoclaving. Standard and strength-optimized Army-Navy retractor designs were printed using the 3D printing material and infill geometry that deformed the least. These retractors were subjected to annealing and autoclaving interventions and tested for differences in mechanical strength. RESULTS:For both the annealing and subsequent autoclaving intervention, the material and infill geometry that deformed the least, respectively, was Essentium PLA Gray and "grid". Standard retractors without intervention failed at 95 N +/- 2.4 N. Annealed retractors failed at 127.3 N +/- 10 N. Autoclave only retractors failed at 15.7 N +/- 1.4 N. Annealed then autoclaved retractors failed at 19.8 N +/- 3.1 N. Strength-optimized retractors, after the annealing then autoclaving intervention, failed at 164.8 N +/- 12.5 N. CONCLUSION:For 30 mm cubes, the 3D printing material and infill geometry that deformed the least, respectively, was Essentium PLA and "grid". Hot water-bath annealing results in increased 3D printed model strength, however autoclaving 3D prints markedly diminishes strength. Strength-optimized 3D printed PLA Army-Navy retractors overcome the strength limitation due to autoclaving.

Background: The mechanical qualities of Ni-Ti is crucial because they give the files their flexibility and enable us to prepare curved and double-curved canals with more ease. It happens frequently for instruments to separate during canal preparation, and cyclic fatigue (metal fatigue) is a frequent cause. This study aimed to assess how irrigation affected the two rotary endodontic instruments' cyclic fatigue resistance. Methods: The Edge File and Fanta File rotary endodontic instrument groups were chosen. Each group (n = 42) was split into 3 subgroups (n = 14 each), one receiving NaOH, one Glycine, and one EDTA treatment. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) was determined after each subgroup underwent testing for cyclic fatigue resistance. Results: The result appeared different significant between the two group and sub-group with the different materials that used with it with the length of fractures and time that recorded in each group. Conclusion: NaOCl, glycine, and EDTA as chemical materials appeared to have considerably varied cycle fatigue resistance for various lengths of fractures and durations, according to the comparison between the two evaluated instruments.

Today, due to the high prevalence of infectious diseases and the risk of infection transmission in dental clinics, the control of infectious agents is critically important in dentistry. Given the importance of proper autoclave performance in dental processes, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of autoclave devices in the sterilization process using biological methods in dental clinics in Birjand. In this analytical cross-sectional study, all 65 dental clinics in Birjand were included. After collecting the questionnaire about equipment sterilization process and the characteristics of the autoclave, a vial containing spores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus was used for biological monitoring of autoclave devices. At the end of the autoclave cycle, the biological vials were incubated for 24-48 hours at 55 °C. Data were analyzed using Chi-Square or Fisher exact tests in SPSS 18 software. Among 46 clinics (71%) participating in this study, 36 clinics (83.7%) used class B autoclave. Out of 34 (77.3%) clinics that monitored the performance of the autoclave, 24 clinics (70.5%) used the chemical method, 6 clinics (17.5%) used the physical method and 4 clinics (12%) used biological methods. In the biological monitoring of the autoclave sterilization process in this study, the performance of one autoclave (2.2%) was reported to be inappropriate and this had a significant relationship with the number of autoclave uses. Despite the fact that biological monitoring of autoclave performance was not carried out in many dental clinics in Birjand, the results of this study showed that the autoclaves of a large number of dental clinics had good performance in the sterilization process. Given the importance of validating autoclave performance in dental processes, the quality control of autoclave devices in dental clinics can be taken into consideration.

The work describes a method for recovery of phosphorus compounds from phosphorus-containing raw materials. The possibility of autoclave leaching of phosphorus from phosphorite in the form of a solution of sodium phosphates with an alkaline solution was experimentally tested. The optimal process parameters were determined (temperature 250–300°C, leaching time 3 h, NaOH concentration 150–300 kg m–3), under which calcium silicate with a unique nano-sized needle-shaped structure, widely used in many industries, is formed in the solid residue. The research results make it possible to involve raw materials with low phosphorus content in waste-free processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, composite materials are widely used in high-strength and low-weight parts, such as airborne structures, military equipment, and sports devices. Since most of the serpentine pipe parts have the requirements of one-piece forming and high strength, the material of serpentine pipe parts is still mainly metal. However, the parts cannot be easily separated from the metal molds after autoclave curing is always a difficult problem in the manufacturing process, which results in failed products. The autoclave process is often long and expensive. Therefore, improving its manufacturing yield rate is very important. To solve this problem, this study employs a ceramic lost foam mold to replace the metal mold used in the autoclave process. By adjusting parameters of autoclave and modifying the curing processes in different experiments and experienced several failed experiments, workable manufacturing processes and parameters are finally obtained such that the composite material made serpentine pipe parts are successfully produced. This study investigates the causes of failed products and corresponding solutions. Moreover, the current study executed process reproducibility experiments to verify the reproducibility of the proposed method. Experimental results determine workable manufacturing processes and parameters. The results not only facilitate the production of composite material made serpentine pipe parts but also significantly reduce the production cost and increase the throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a numerical simulation study on the mixing characteristics of multiphase flow in an autoclave was carried out using CFD technology. The Eulerian–Eulerian model and discrete phase model (DPM) were employed to investigate the solid holdup, critical suspension speed, nonuniformity of solid suspension, gas holdup distribution, bubble tracks, and residence time during stirring leaching in the autoclave. Experiments validate the accuracy of the numerical model, and the experimental values correspond well with the simulation results. The numerical simulation results show that the solid–liquid mixing is mainly affected by the axial flow, the best agitation speed is 400 rpm, and increasing the speed further cannot make the mixture more homogenous and buildup occurred above the autoclave. The calculated critical suspension speed is 406 rpm, which is slightly lower than that obtained from the empirical formula. The gas phase is mainly concentrated in the vortex area above the blade. When the gas phase is in a completely dispersed state (N = 300 rpm), the average residence time of the bubbles is 5.66 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brief Background Critical dental instruments are those that can enter or contact blood vessels, soft tissue, bone, or other normally sterile tissue, they should be sterilized after each usage. Sterilization is an essential component of dental practice, aimed at creating a safe and clean environment for patients and dental workers. Dentistry uses a various sterilization techniques, including chemical sterilization with substances like hydrogen peroxide and glutaraldehyde, dry heat sterilization, and steam sterilization. Maintaining the highest levels of patient care and safety requires an understanding of the various sterilization procedures and how they are used in dental practice. This article provides a brief overview of several sterilisation procedures used in dentistry, along with the benefits and drawbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the infusors belonging to the order of Entodinimorpha were studied in the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The research object was sheep from ruminant animals. The effects of infusor species have been regularly studied in sheep. It has been determined that the presence of ciliated protozoa leads to a more stable ruminal fermentation, a high level of ammonia, a decrease in the number of bacteria, as well as the change in the turnover rate of dry matter (%), liquid volume and it causes ruminal content, compared to ruminants without fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curing of composite laminates in a vessel was investigated in this study. The environment inside the processing vessel dictates the efficiency and ultimately drives the quality of thermoset composite parts. Experimental measurements of spatial heat transfer coefficients were conducted on industrial scale vessels, including autoclaves and large ovens, which ultimately drives the quality of thermoset composite parts. The final part quality was investigated using the experimental data as input to a coupled heat transfer and curing model. Measurements showed that heat transfer coefficients in autoclaves were greater in magnitude and spatial variability. The distribution in the autoclaves followed a pattern common in the literature, in contrast to that in the ovens which varied considerably between devices. Numerical predictions indicated autoclave measured heat transfer coefficients provide less lag to the imposed temperature history and smaller temperature overshoots. However, the greater robustness to variability at autoclave heat transfer coefficients was offset by the greater variability, resulting in comparable robustness across the ovens and autoclaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw is a substantial agricultural by-product for biogas production. Hydrolysis of straw is found to be a rate-limiting step during its anaerobic digestion and could be enhanced by pretreatment. In this paper, the effect of various combinations of particle size reduction, autoclaving, and low-level Fenton reaction was studied on straw for biogas production. Grinding of straw contributed to the maximum increase in the biomethane potential. Only Fenton or only the autoclave process improves the kinetics slightly but does not considerably improve the biomethane potential. Combining autoclaving and low-concentration Fenton pretreatment considerably improves the BMP values. Lignin content, CHNSO elemental analysis, Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Simon's staining, infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT and ATR), Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis (WAXD) were used to characterize the physical and chemical changes of straw due to pretreatment. Results show a poor correlation between biogas production and the different physical and chemical biomass characteristics. It makes it difficult to explain the outcome of various pretreatment methods applied to biomass. Without further improvement and development of analytical techniques, the prediction of the biomethane potential of a feedstock with the aid of pretreatment can only be considered in case-by-case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, the impregnation of wood with a paraffinic phase change material (PCM) is investigated, specifically to increase the heat capacity of solid wood, which significantly influences the thermal inertia when used in buildings. Four wood species (beech, poplar, oak and spruce) were impregnated with different pressure processes in an autoclave. For poplar, up to 480 kg of PCM per m³ of wood was deposited. For beech and spruce, also more than 200 kg of PCM per m³ of wood was achieved. However, oak was hard to impregnate and only about 100 kg of PCM per m³ was deposited. Leakage, which is undesired, occurred for all the wood species, especially for beech, but could be significantly reduced to less than 10% by increasing the viscosity of the PCM. The heat capacity was increased by one order of magnitude compared to clear wood, as measurements with differential scanning calorimetry showed. Simulations with an analytical model demonstrate the potential for damping temperature amplitudes in buildings in the summer month when applying PCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA extraction is a crucial step in all nucleic acid-based protocols to identify microorganisms. Lactic acid bacteria are a significant part of healthy microbiota in the human gastrointestinal tract. These gram-positive bacteria have several layers of peptidoglycan in the cell walls. These structures cause difficulties in the cell lysis and obtaining reliable protocols for DNA isolations . The purpose of this study was to assess the autoclave and lysozyme-based DNA purification approaches for achieving the high-quality genomic DNAs of Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria. DNA concentrations and qualities were also compared with the commercial kit. The results showed that the proper DNA isolation methods were various, according to the downstream applications. Protocols that included lysozyme produced a higher amount of DNA than the autoclave method. Lysozyme treatment combined with silica -guanidinethiocyanate procedure was the efficient protocol with affordable cost for routine lysis of L. acidophilus bacteria. Appropriate DNA concentration and quality were obtained through this method comparable to those of the commercial kit. Inversely, autoclave treatment had little effect on the breakage of the cell walls indicating low concentrations of extracted DNAs. This method could not completely break down all the bacterial cell walls. However, the breakage of low numbers of cell walls was microscopically observed in the supernatant of the autoclaved cell suspension. The quality of this protocol was found to be adequate for performing direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay on samples with large amounts of lactobacilli. These conclusions suggest attentively selecting the DNA extraction method based on the planned downstream analysis of PCR products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Out-of-autoclave (OOA) manufacturing techniques for composites result in lower fibre volume fractions than for fully compressed laminates. The lower fibre volume fraction produces a higher resin volume fraction, which becomes resin-rich volumes (RRV). Textile reinforcements with clustered fibres and consequent RRV generally have low strength but high in-plane process permeability, whereas the opposite is true for uniformly distributed fibres. The inevitable increase in resin volume fraction of OOA composites often compromises composite performance and leads to relatively higher weight and fuel consumption in transport applications. The retention of autoclave processing is recommended for highest performance when compression press moulding is not appropriate (for example, for complex 3D components). The traditional autoclave processing of composites heats not only the component to be cured but also parasitic air and the vessel insulation. Subject to minor modifications of the pressure vessel, electrically heated tooling could be implemented. This approach would need to balance insulation of the heated tool surface (and any heater blanket on the counter-face) against the quenching effect during the introduction of the pressurised cool air. This process optimisation would significantly reduce energy consumption. Additionally, the laminate on the heated tool could be taken to the end of the dwell period before loading the autoclave, leading to significant reductions in cure cycle times. Components could be cured simultaneously at different temperatures provided that there are sufficient power and control circuits in the autoclave. While autoclave processing has usually involved vacuum-bagged pre-impregnated reinforcements, implementation of the cool-clave technique could also provide a scope for using the pressure vessel to cure vacuum-infused composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoclaves are vital equipment in the hospital sterilization processes. They are so important in any hospital center that a failure in the equipment can result in the total suspension of surgical activity, as they represent the main tool when it comes to prevent the spread of infections to which medical procedures are exposed. Vacuum pumps are essential elements in the operation of autoclaves since a successful sterilization process depends on their performance. This article intends to introduce a method to automatically detect the failure condition of an autoclave's vacuum pump, based on the characteristics of the acoustic signal produced by the equipment during its operation. Initially, the acoustic signals emitted by the pump in both normal and failure conditions were captured. The results obtained by different signal analysis methods were compared, and it was determined which of them ended up being more suitable to perform a diagnosis of the equipment's operating condition. The results obtained showed that, in order to identify the specific type of failure analyzed, the analysis within the time domain ended up being more suitable than the analysis within the frequency domain. Finally, an algorithm that detects the presence or absence of water in the vacuum pump of the autoclave was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction of 5-hydrazinyl-substituted 1,2,4-triazines and 2,5-norbornadiene at elevated pressure and temperature (in autoclave) has been studied; the reaction yields 2-aminopyridines, 5-amino-1,2,4,-triazines, and 6-unsubstituted pyridines (formation of one of two latter products is dependent on the nature of substituent in the C3 position of triazine). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current research is to explore the nutritional, structural, and sensorial properties of bulgur prepared from different wheat cultivars. For the purpose, three different wheat cultivars, i.e., Dilkash-2020, Akbar-2019, and Anaj-2017, were procured and evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics using respective methods. In addition, structural properties of product (bulgur) were characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Results elucidated that physicochemical characteristics of Dilkash-2020 were significantly (p ≤.05) higher as compared to Akbar-2019, followed by Anaj-2017. Moreover, autoclave technique retained the nutritional profile of bulgur as compared to traditional cooking methods. It is observed that protein (12.7 ± 0.04%), fibers (12.5 ± 0.07%), minerals contents and antioxidant activity were significantly improved in bulgur (Dilkash-2020) processed through autoclave. Additionally, autoclave method retained the nutritional profile and antioxidant activity of bulgur. The mineral composition of bulgur revealed that calcium content in bulgur ranged from 368 ± 0.02–532 ± 0.00 mg/kg, potassium (745 ± 0.05–948 ± 0.03 mg/kg), iron (30 ± 0.04–53 ± 0.01 mg/kg) and sodium (168 ± 0.03–318 ± 0.11 mg/kg). In FTIR spectra, different phytochemical groups were identified especially alkene, halo, alcohol, organic-nitro, carbon aromatic and thiol groups. Furthermore, sensorial scores of bulgur prepared from autoclave were also higher than traditional method. In addition, overall acceptability of Dilkash-2020 bulgur was higher as compared to other varieties. Conclusively, wheat Dilkash-2020 has significant potential for bulgur production and autoclave is an effective method to retain the nutritional profile of bulgur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This in vitro investigation aimed to determine the influence of multiple autoclave cycles on the cyclic fatigue resistance of three heat-treated nickel-titanium (NiTi) files: EdgeTaper Platinum (ETP), ProTaper Gold (PTG), and TruNatomy Prime (TN). Materials. Sixty NiTi files, twenty of each NiTi file type: ETP 25/.06, PTG 25/.08, and TN 26/.04 were randomly divided into four equal subgroups (nD5). The files for the control group were left un-autoclaved. Different autoclave sterilization cycles (one, five, and ten) were used for the other three groups. The files were then placed in a metal canal block and rotated according to the manufacturer's instructions until fracture. The length of the broken segment and the time taken for fracture were measured. The fractured surfaces were subsequently subjected to SEM imaging. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the data, followed by Dunn-Bonferroni pairwise comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p<0:05. Results. ETP showed significantly greater resistance to cyclic fatigue than TN in all autoclave groups and PTG after five autoclave cycles (p D 0:014). Fatigue resistance was not affected by the number of autoclaving cycles, except for ETP. After the first and tenth autoclaving cycles, they required significantly more rotations to failure than the non-sterilized files (pD0:039 and pD0:021, respectively). The fractured segments of the ETP files in these two groups were also longer than those in the control group (pD0:010). Conclusion. The cyclic fatigue resistance of ETP was greater than that of TN in all tested conditions. Repeated autoclave cycles of sterilization improved the cyclic fatigue resistance of the ETP files only and did not affect the cyclic fatigue resistance of TN and PTG. However, the ETP files separated at a longer distance from the tip with increased autoclaving cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the influence of the technological parameters of autoclave curing on the resulting mechanical properties of laminates was investigated. The main criterion for optimizing the curing was to extend the processing window with a lower prepreg viscosity. At the same time, the issue of setting the pressure level before the heat ramp to the final cure temperature was also addressed. An experimental method of measuring the indentation viscosity of the prepreg was used to determine the viscosity profile. Despite the experimental nature of the method, the reliability of this method for rapid approximate identification of the processing window of the prepreg was verified by the results of the study. Several laminates with the same ply orientation were produced using the selected cure cycles, from which test specimens were cut with a water jet and inspected by confocal microscopy. The mechanical properties of tension and flexure were measured within the individual curing cycles using tests according to ISO standards. The data reported demonstrate that the experimental method of optimizing the curing parameters has successfully increased the selected mechanical properties. The resulting mechanical properties of the laminates were enhanced by up to 20% compared to the non-optimized cure cycle. The influence of the type of cure cycle on the resulting thickness of the cured laminate was evaluated in this study.

The shape of fiber-reinforced composite work-piece cured in autoclave usually deviates from the original design after demoulding, which influences the product quality. In order to study the cure deformation law of curved parts, the geometry of conical C-shaped shell was described by only five parameters: generatrix length, radius at half height, center angle, half apex angle and shell thickness. Based on the virtual work principle and small deformation hypothesis, the analytic solution of the cure deformation caused by the temperature drop in the curing process was deduced. It is revealed that after curing, the thickness, half-height radius, generatrix length and apex angle decrease, while the center angle of the arc increases. Compared with the finite element simulation orthogonal test, which validates the analytical solution. A simplified scheme of finite element curing simulation by use of the path-dependent constitutive law is given. This simplified finite element deformation prediction method can cut the computing time by 80% and the implementation is much easier. By using this formula, thermoelastic finite element model and path-dependent finite element model, the curing deformation of the nose cover of a small fixed-wing aircraft is calculated, and the predicted average reduction of half-span length is 8.1 mm,7.6 mm and 6.1 mm respectively, which are basically consistent with the measured value of 7.7 mm. The assembly deformation characteristics of the part can also be explained based on the proposed analysis.

This article provides an overview of qualification testing programs, inter-laboratory comparative tests and qualification testing in testing laboratories that analyze the safety of canned meat products. Organoleptic, physico-chemical, safety and microbiological studies were conducted, comparing Semipalatinsk canned meat products with other samples. According to the results of the study, the company's products turned out to be positive. It is proved that the main task is to produce high-quality products in order to meet the requirements of consumers. At the enterprise for the production of canned meat, measures were envisaged to ensure high-quality and safe products in accordance with the requirements of standards. The regulatory and technical requirements used by the enterprise in the production of canned meat were analyzed. In the market economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the development of individual entrepreneurship should be at a stable level in the food industry.

Co-cure of honeycomb core sandwich structures combines the consolidation of composite prepreg facesheets with bonding of facesheets to a low-density core in a single thermal cycle for efficient manufacturing. The coupling of multiple process phenomena and the complex geometry of honeycomb cores, however, can lead to defects in cured parts. Effects of co-cure on void formation at the tool-side facesheet surface remain unclear. We employ autoclave processing and an in situ visualization technique to elucidate physical mechanisms by which surface porosity forms, and the effects of pressure on this formation. Results displayed a multi-stage development, including evacuation of entrapped air, followed by evolution and subsequent entrapment of dissolved volatiles in the prepreg resin, and demonstrated the utility of elevated pressure in reducing porosity. These findings describe the physics underlying porosity formation at the tool-facesheet interface, and provide insight into potential mitigation strategies to produce sandwich panels with defect-free facesheet surfaces.

Background This in vitro investigation aimed to determine the influence of multiple autoclave cycles on the cyclic fatigue resistance of three heat-treated nickel-titanium (NiTi) files: EdgeTaper Platinum (ETP), ProTaper Gold (PTG), and TruNatomy Prime (TN). Materials Sixty NiTi files, twenty of each NiTi file type: ETP 25/.06, PTG 25/.08, and TN 26/.04 were randomly divided into four equal subgroups (n = 5). The files for the control group were left un-autoclaved. Different autoclave sterilization cycles (one, five, and ten) were used for the other three groups. The files were then placed in a metal canal block and rotated according to the manufacturer’s instructions until fracture. The length of the broken segment and the time taken for fracture were measured. The fractured surfaces were subsequently subjected to SEM imaging. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the data, followed by Dunn-Bonferroni pairwise comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the major non-psychoactive and most widely studied of the cannabinoid constituents and has great therapeutic potential in a variety of diseases. However, contradictory reports in the literature with respect to CBD's effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) have raised concerns and halted research exploring its use in ocular therapeutics. Therefore, the current investigation aimed to further evaluate CBD's impact on the IOP in the rabbit model. CBD nanoemulsions, containing Carbopol® 940 NF as a mucoadhesive agent (CBD-NEC), were prepared using hot-homogenization followed by probe sonication. The stability of the formulations post-moist-heat sterilization, in terms of physical and chemical characteristics, was studied for three different storage conditions. The effect of the formulation on the intraocular pressure (IOP) profile in normotensive Dutch Belted male rabbits was then examined. The lead CBD-NEC formulation (1% w/v CBD) exhibited a globule size of 259 ± 2.0 nm, 0.27 ± 0.01 PDI, and 23.2 ± 0.4 cP viscosity, and was physically and chemically stable for one month (last time point tested) at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C. CBD-NEC significantly lowered the IOP in the treated eyes for up to 360 min, with a peak drop in IOP of 4.5 mmHg observed at the 150 min time point, post-topical application. The IOP of the contralateral eye (untreated) was also observed to be lowered significantly, but the effect lasted up to the 180 min time point only. Overall, topically administered CBD, formulated in a mucoadhesive nanoemulsion formulation, reduced the IOP in the animal model studied. The results support further exploration of CBD as a therapeutic option for various inflammation-based ocular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) lapse at a physician's office resulted in 54 non-compliance issues identified. Eight high-risk items were all associated with reprocessing. Examination of the autoclave revealed numerous structural concerns as it was a discontinued model of autoclave that originated from a retired physician. Three biological indicators were used to verify effectiveness of the autoclave but all of which failed. In consultation with Public Health Ontario's IPAC team, contract tracing was needed as there was a risk to patients. Without adequate sterilization logs, the timeframe of patient records needed was the date after the autoclave was serviced by a technician until the date of the initial investigation. Lessons learned from this investigation include the need to reach out to suppliers to confirm compatibility of biological indicators with older model autoclaves and the importance of reviewing technician reports to understand when the device was last effective. With an increase in physician's retiring during the COVID-19 pandemic, this case study highlights how discontinued autoclaves may be re-circulated into practice. This could result in similar issues faced by other public health inspectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite materials is being done with various methods in recent days. But controlling the accuracy of manufacturing and begetting quality products is very challenging. Adopting single manufacturing techniques may not cater this purpose, but blended or unified technologies do. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technique that is highly reliable to be blended with current methods and caters to the needs of various composite manufacturers to the maximum possible extent. Accordingly, in this article, the primary focus is provided on the manufacturing sector and more particularly emphasis only on composite material manufacturing with the help of AI. The way the manufacturing is guided by digital technologies including AI is effective in terms of the quality of manufacturing composite materials. In most of the recent studies, AI techniques are used in autoclave manufacturing of composites to control temperature and pressure, curing of composites establishing control over the curing environment and also in flaw detection of composites. This article also focuses on using digital technologies for manufacturing simulation, hybridizing digital technologies and a few of its implications over Industry 4.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of transporting oil and gas, the service performance of thermoplastic pipes will decline due to the multiple influences of medium, temperature, and pressure. In order to study the service performance changes of PVDF pipes under oil and gas transportation conditions, the high-temperature autoclave is used to simulate the service state of the pipe in the mediums. The PVDF samples are exposed to simulated oil and gas mediums for 1 week, 3 weeks, 5 weeks, and 7 weeks under 60 °C and 90 °C conditions. After the exposure test, the physical and chemical properties of the PVDF pipe are tested and compared with the initial samples. Compared with the initial sample, the sample quality after the exposure test has a slight increase, with growth rates of 2% and 3% at 60 °C and 90 °C, respectively. Meanwhile, the tensile strength of the samples is about 13% and 21% lower than that of the initial sample, respectively. According to the microscopic morphology analyses, there are some crack defects on the surface of the sample after the exposure test. Through infrared analysis, it is shown that no molecular chain breakage, crosslinking, or other reactions are found after the exposure test. The above analysis shows that the PVDF sample has slight penetration and swelling during the exposure test. However, due to the large force between the PVDF molecules, its mechanical properties have a small downward trend, showing excellent environmental stress crack resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum Carbide (Al4C3) is a main source of corrosion problems in metal matrix composites as well as refractory products. Hydrolysis to methane happening at room temperature leads to various structural problems. As methods to quantify Al4C3 are scarce, this paper proposes a method to measure Al4C3 containing analyte powders in mg areas by combining a robust autoclave system with non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) process analytics. The method uses only water as reagent, making it easy and safe to handle. The used materials were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis coupled with fourier-transformation infrared detection (TGA-IR), LECO-C analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) before and after autoclave treatment. 90–90.8% recovery of 100 mg Al4C3 with small standard deviations (4C3 to Bayerite (Al(OH)3) and Boehmite (AlO(OH)) at 70 °C. Comparison with shrinking core models showed that the reaction is neither purely reaction nor purely ash diffusion controlled. The findings indicate possibilities for further acceleration of reaction speeds by increasing temperature. The 200 mL reactor volume of the autoclave enables the analysis of bigger sample sizes at temperatures above 100 °C by separating reaction and analysis procedure. This provides an extension to gas chromatographic methods for industrial quality control of bulk materials in rougher environments.

The volumetric instability of steel slag hinders its use in pavement layers and embankments. Accordingly, evaluating the swelling potential of steel slag and designing volumetrically stable steel slag mixtures is required to promote its sustainable utilization. This paper focuses on the comparison of the swelling response of basic-oxygen-furnace steel slag (BOFS), electric-arc-furnace steel slag (EAFS), BOFS-fly ash and BOFS-glass powder mixtures based on the results of three different types of tests: (i) long-term California bearing ratio (CBR) swelling, (ii) heated water bath swelling and (iii) autoclave tests. BOFS mixtures were prepared using glass powder or class F fly ash with 5%, 10%, and 20% replacement ratios. The compaction characteristics, permeability, and California bearing ratio (CBR) of steel slag and steel slag mixtures were also assessed within the framework of a detailed discussion of their swelling response. At the end of swelling tests, the measured maximum 1D strains of EAFS were all at negligible levels. Based on the test results, BOFS and BOFS-glass powder mixtures had ∼5.0–5.5% swelling strains after 20.5 months without signs of stabilization. 20% class F fly ash replacement stabilized the swelling strains of the mixture at about 0.75% after ∼3 months of monitoring in long-term tests. 1D swelling rates measured for all BOFS-class F fly ash mixtures decreased with increasing fly ash content. CBR and swelling response of BOFS-class F fly ash mixtures were more favorable compared to those of BOFS. The heated water bath tests provided higher estimates of the swelling strains compared to those obtained from autoclave tests for the steel slag mixtures that contain 15% or more fines. The results of this study showed that glass powder replacement is not effective in alleviating the swelling of BOFS. The volumetrically stable BOFS-class F fly ash mixtures indicated favorable mechanical properties for their use in pavement layers. [Display omitted] • Glass powder replacement is not effective in alleviating the swelling of BOF slag. • 20% class F fly ash replacement can suppress the 1D strains of BOF slag. • Autoclave may provide relatively low estimates of strain for steel slag with 15% or more fines. • Separate handling of EAF and ladle steel slag in the plants can help their utilization. • BOF steel slag-class F fly ash mixtures show potential to be used in bound pavement layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) have gained popularity in solving nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) via integrating physical laws into the training of neural networks, making them superior in many scientific and engineering applications. However, conventional PINNs still fall short in accurately approximating the solution of complex systems with strong nonlinearity, especially in long temporal domains. Besides, since PINNs are designed to approximate a specific realization of a given PDE system, they lack the necessary generalizability to efficiently adapt to new system configurations. This entails computationally expensive re-training from scratch for any new change in the system. To address these shortfalls, in this work a sequential meta-transfer (SMT) learning framework is proposed, offering a unified solution for both fast training and efficient adaptation of PINNs in highly nonlinear systems with long temporal domains. Specifically, the framework decomposes PDE's time domain into smaller time segments to create "easier" PDE problems for PINNs training. Then for each time interval, a meta-learner is assigned and trained to achieve an optimal initial state for rapid adaptation to a range of related tasks. Transfer learning principles are then leveraged across time intervals to further reduce the computational cost. Through a composites autoclave processing case study, it is shown that SMT is clearly able to enhance the adaptability of PINNs while significantly reducing computational cost, by a factor of 100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron carbonate (FeCO 3) layers influence the electrochemical properties of carbon steel during aqueous corrosion in carbon dioxide–saturated environments. In this study, electrochemical measurements conducted in an autoclave at 80°C and 5 barg are combined with cross-sectional imaging to elucidate interfacial properties of X65 carbon steel at key stages of FeCO 3 layer development. The effects of evolving system chemistry are also considered by variation of the X65 surface area to solution volume (A/V) ratio. FeCO 3 reduces general corrosion rates through a combination of active site blocking and restriction of mass transport, with resultant layer properties dependent on the A/V ratio. • Area to Volume Ratio significantly affects FeCO 3 corrosion product layer properties. • In-situ electrochemical techniques employed at 80°C, 5.5 pCO 2 and initial pH 3.7. • Four key stages in FeCO 3 corrosion product layer development on carbon steel. • Substrate protection provided by active site blocking and mass transport restriction through thick but porous FeCO 3 layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]